IND v SA | Besides Rohit Sharma, there are no better openers than Shikhar Dhawan, says Harbhajan Singh

After the first of the three T20Is was called off due to rain, India takes on South Africa in the second T20 in Mohali. As it stands, the hosts will play at least 16 T20Is between now and the T20 World Cup in Australia next year. So today’s match isn’t just the kick-off for India’s domestic season, it is also the formal launch of their preparations for the showdown Down Under. And one of the key areas for India’s success lies in the performance of the top three.  

"Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma are some of the finest batsmen that India has seen and have proven to be one of India's best opening pairs. Shikhar Dhawan's contribution to the game is as important as that of Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli. Be it T20 or 50 overs, irrespective of the format, Shikhar is really good. According to me, there is no better opener than Shikhar Dhawan, along with Rohit Sharma, in any format - T20 and 50 overs. If he continues working on his fitness in the coming 2-3 years, I think he will be unstoppable," Harbhajan told IANS, reported TOI.

Harbhajan, of course, was a World T20 winner with India in 2007, when India beat arch-rivals Pakistan in the final by five runs. The man of the match in that final, Irfan Pathan, now serves as the head coach for the Jammu & Kashmir state team. Although they basked in glory in the inaugural edition of the event, India has not really cracked the T20 code just yet. And Irfan reckons the key lies in managing the all-rounder spot, much like him in his playing days. 

"Ravindra Jadeja's innings’ have been crucial in the IPL and ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. We need to keep this in mind, because Hardik Pandya is a fast-bowling all-rounder, and they tend to get injured. India needs to have a back-up all-rounder who can replace Hardik and bowl to his calibre,” Irfan said.

“We should get Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja to play on the 6th spot and I am sure they will do the job. Jadeja is one of the best spin all-rounders in the team whose capabilities in fielding, bowling and batting are remarkable. He is a brilliant cricketer and has proven himself multiple times," Irfan added.