Last Updated: January 17, 2023, 10:22 IST
Virat Kohli (left) and Rohit Sharma. (AFP Photo)
There seems to be a clear intent from the part of India selectors to give youngsters more chances ahead of the likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in T20Is
Since India’s exit from the 2022 T20 World Cup at the semifinal stage, reports of the team management moving on from the senior players in the format continue to hit the headlines. Since the world cup last year, India have played in two T20I series including one in New Zealand and against Sri Lanka at home and the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul haven’t been included in them.
India’s next bilateral T20I series is with New Zealand and it will be the third straight time that neither Rohit nor Kohli will be part of their squad. This has only added credence to the unconfirmed reports that the team has moved on from two of their brightest stars, at least in T20Is.
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However, the legendary Sunil Gavaskar argues that should either of the two or both show they are good form throughout 2023, it would be impossible to keep them out from the team.
“The way I see it is that, the next T20 World Cup is in 2024, next year, and the new selection committee that has come wants to give more opportunities to the younger players. That doesn’t mean that Kohli and Rohit won’t be considered anymore. And if they have an impressive form throughout 2023 then they have to be in the team,” Gavaskar told India Today.
2023 is the year of ODI World Cup and after the New Zealand series, the next time an India T20I squad returns to action will be in July-August and after that in November-December.
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Gavaskar thinks that the reason why Rohit and Kohli have been ignored for the three T20I bilateral series since world cup could be to keep them fresh for the Australia Test series scheduled for February.
“The other factor is with the Australia series starting, the selectors might have wanted to rest them for the big contest so that they can make a fresh start against the Aussies and that will benefit India,” he said.
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