Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma snubbed in IPL opener debate [Source AFP]As the IPL 2026 season peaks, a former Indian coach triggered an unexpected debate while naming the greatest opener of the tournament. He surprisingly left out cricket giants like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma over a youngster.Rohit and Kohli have been among the finest Indian batters of this generation. Both like to open in the T20 format and have amassed thousands of runs in the IPL.Sanjay Banger snubs Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma in openers’ debateHowever, despite the duo’s brilliance, former Indian coach Sanjay Banger believes the greatest IPL opener among Indians is none other than SRH youngster Abhishek Sharma.While talking to ESPN Cricinfo, he was asked to rank the best IPL openers, and he went on to blindly rank Abhishek at the first spot, followed by Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill.“In terms of the order it will be Abhishek Sharma, then Virat Kohli. At three we have Shubman Gill and KL Rahul at four. Rohit Sharma at five, Shikhar (Dhawan) at six, Viru (Virender Sehwag) at seven and Gambhir at eight," Bangar said.Bangar’s logic is based on modern T20 demands. He feels Abhishek bats at an extremely high strike rate, is aggressive in the powerplay and can dominate from ball one.“I think based on how T20 has evolved, that would be the right mix and the right way to go about it,” he added.Now compared to this, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are more traditional players. They value consistency and often play the anchor role instead of going full explosive in the powerplay.Sanjay Bangar is prioritising impact over longevity, and hence he went with Abhishek Sharma to settle the openers’ debate.Also Read - Rohit Sharma Rolls Back The Clock vs LSG; Breaks 13-Year-Old IPL RecordWho has the most runs in the IPL as an opener?Going by statistics, Shikhar Dhawan is the leading run-scorer in the IPL as an opener, as he amassed 6362 runs in 202 games. David Warner is ranked second at 5910 runs, while Virat Kohli has 5388 runs as an opener in the IPL.However, in modern-day T20 cricket, aggressive intent is more valued and hence, Abhishek Sharma is rated so highly by fans and critics. Of course, he has a long way to go, and fans will keep a close eye on his progress going forward.Abhishek vs Kohli vs Rohit in IPL 2026Coming to the IPL 2026 season, Abhishek Sharma is second in the Orange Cap race with 440 runs in 10 innings at 48.88 average, including a hundred and 3 fifties.On the other hand, RCB star Virat Kohli is not far behind. In 9 innings, he has scored 379 runs at 54.14 average, including 3 fifties. However, Rohit Sharma has lagged behind compared to Abhishek and Kohli.He missed a few games due to a hamstring injury, and in 5 innings played so far, Rohit has scored 221 runs at a 55.25 average, including 2 half-centuries.Also Read - All IPL Final Venues (From 2008-2026)
