ICC World T20 2016 India look to change their opening partnership

Should India look to change their opening partnership of Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan?

Our cricket guru's Jaideep Marar and Barny Read argue whether India should look to change their opening partnership of Sharma and Dhawan ahead of their semi-final against West Indies.

The faltering form of Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan has raised serious concern for India ahead of the semi-finals on Thursday, with both struggling to score any meaningful runs at the top of the order.

Should India look to change their opening partnership of Sharma and Dhawan?

What do you make of today’s debate and which side of the fence are you on?

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JAIDEEP MARAR, Assistant Editor, SAYS YES

India largely owe their semi-final place at the World Twenty20 to Virat Kohli. Had it not be for this irresistible talented star, India would have long bid goodbye to their chances.

Agreed, Kohli relishes the challenges, the bigger it is the better he gets, but for how long? What if he has an off day, like he did against New Zealand in the opener? Then defeat is guaranteed.

Barring Kohli and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the rest of the batting doesn’t inspire much confidence with openers Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan the biggest failures.

Sharma has scored 45 runs from four matches and averages 11.25 while Dhawan, 43 runs, averages 10.75. Their highest opening parternship has been 42 against Bangladesh while in other games it has been 23, 14 and five.

If India are to get a good start in the business end of the tournament then Rahane definitely needs to get a look in

It means every time India start with a major handicap whether they are setting or chasing targets. With Suresh Raina also not contributing much (41 runs, average 10.25), India’s batting is basically a one-man army, read Virat Kohli. The argument that they have been done in by difficult pitches is a sad commentary on their abilities than a defence.

If they are not able to conquer the conditions or the heat of the battle then they are no good and need to be shown the door. The options for making wholesale changes are limited as they have to pick from the 15-member squad which will allow Raina, a utility player, to keep his place. But they can certainly bring in the dependable and technically sound Ajinkya Rahane for Dhawan, whose record in T20Is is anyway abysmal (400 runs, average 21.20 in 49 games).

I would persist with Rohit because he has fared relatively better in the format (Runs 1237, avg 30.92) and the semi-final clash against West Indies is at his home ground, Mumbai.

The other advantage with Rohit is that if he gets going then he ends up scoring big. If India are to get a good start in the business end of the tournament then Rahane definitely needs to get a look in.

BARNY READ, Online Deputy Editor, SAYS NO

You can understand the calls for both Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma to make way at the top of India’s T20 lineup but changing anything now would be disastrous for their campaign.

MS Dhoni’s men have swung their tournament around since their opening defeat to New Zealand and now stand two wins away from world glory on the back of three wins on the bounce.

The team is on a roll and although the temptation to call-up Ajinkya Rahane will seem irresistible for some there seems little reason to alter a side that has enjoyed huge success in the format in recent months and sits top of the ICC rankings in this format.

It seems some suffer from short-term memory loss, forgetting that this India side won the Asia Cup in the lead up to the World T20 where Dhawan scored 60 in the final and Sharma’s 83 in the opener ensured victory over the hosts.

India would be shooting themselves in the foot if they were to make any unforced changes now

Yes they are both short of form but against Australia they were far more assured, looking finally to be regaining some touch which if it translates into scores at the business end of the tournament could lead their team to a second World T20 title.

Considering the problems that have surrounded this team and the dissenting voices that continue to doubt their virtue, India would be shooting themselves in the foot if they were to make any unforced changes now, particularly at the top of the order.

We have already seen that the first six overs can be crucial here in India and bringing someone in out of the cold would be a risk that could undo all their hard work that has taken them this far.

Both Dhawan and Sharma have been there and done it before and exposing someone short of game time to the intensity that greets them at every juncture would be both dangerous and unfair. Now is not the time to tinker, especially for a group of players who are clearly united and fighting hand in hand under such extreme pressure.