T20 World Cup 2024: Rahul Dravid remains tight-lipped on Virat Kohli as India's opener

The excitement surrounding the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2024 is visible, and team India are gearing up for their opening match against Ireland on June 05. Since the start of the season there have been speculations around the team's opening combination, head coach Rahul Dravid has remained tight-lipped regarding the decision.

Despite young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal not getting an opportunity to bat during the practice match against Bangladesh on June 01, Dravid clarified that skipper Rohit Sharma's opening partner for the tournament is yet to be finalized.

"We've got options, so we are obviously not going to reveal our cards just yet, but certainly we've got options. We have Rohit and Jaiswal and Virat opened in the IPL as well. We picked the team keeping in mind that we have three options and we could pick and choose what we wanted depending on the conditions and kind of combination we go into these games with," Dravid said as quoted by Times Of India.

Also read: Rahul Dravid confirms T20 World Cup 2024 will be his last as India's head coach

Whatever the score is, you will have to react and adapt: Rahul Dravid

The playing surface at the Nassau County ground in New York has drawn attention due to its inconsistent bounce and sluggish outfield. However, Dravid remained calm, emphasizing the team's focus on adapting their game in challenging conditions.

"We had three practice sessions here. From the third session onwards, the wicket became better. But a wicket is a wicket. We don't want to label it as bad or good. It is a wicket and you have to manage and you have to adjust to it. So we will not complain about the wicket," he added.

Also read: Rahul Dravid assesses Nassau County Cricket Stadium facilities

Recognizing the unique challenges posed by the venue, Dravid acknowledged that the traditional benchmark of a 200-run target might not hold in this tournament. 

"As we talk about T20 cricket, maybe we won't be able to play like that in this tournament. Maybe in this venue. We will hopefully play in many venues. So, it will be different there. So, it will be important to adapt," he further added.

"Maybe that will be the winning score. In some matches, there will be a winning score of 200. So whatever the score is, you will have to react and adapt," he concluded.