Virat Kohli chooses Chris Gayle over Rohit Sharma, Sachin Tendulkar as best T20 opener

In a game of “This or That” shared by Royal Challengers Bengaluru on social media, Virat Kohli picked his former teammate Chris Gayle ahead of Rohit Sharma as the best opener in T20 cricket.

During the challenge, Kohli was given two players at a time and asked to choose one. The comparisons began with Adam Gilchrist and Sunil Narine, with Kohli opting for the former.

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When Gilchrist was compared with Travis Head, Kohli chose the Australian opener, considering performances specifically in the T20 format. However, when Head was placed against Virender Sehwag, Kohli switched his pick to the former India opener.

Kohli continued backing Sehwag even when the comparisons included legendary batter Sachin Tendulkar. The final choice eventually came down to Rohit Sharma and Chris Gayle. After pausing briefly, Kohli picked Gayle as the best opener in the shortest format of the game.

Best T20 opener according to Virat Kohli?

Watch This or That ft. Virat, on Emmvee presents RCB Shorts. #PlayBold #ನಮ್ಮRCB pic.twitter.com/JlEGDcwcYm

— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) March 15, 2026

Gayle remains one of the most dominant batters in T20 history. The former West Indies cricket team opener holds the record for the most runs in T20 cricket, scoring 14,562 runs in 455 innings across formats. He also enjoyed a prolific career in the Indian Premier League, scoring 4,965 runs in 142 matches.

The Caribbean star also holds the record for the highest individual score in IPL history — an unbeaten 175 for RCB against Pune Warriors India in 2013.

Rohit Sharma, meanwhile, has scored 4,231 runs in 159 T20Is and 7,046 runs in 272 IPL matches, making him one of the most successful batters in the format.

Kohli will next be seen in action for RCB when the defending champions begin their campaign against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the opening match of IPL 2026 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on March 28.