Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been selected for the upcoming three-match T20 series against Afghanistan, marking their return to T20I cricket after a hiatus of over a year.
This decision comes as both batsmen made themselves available for the shortest format in world cup t20 2024. Having last played in the T20 World Cup in Australia in 2022, where India, captained by Sharma, suffered a semifinal loss to England, their inclusion aims to explore and finalize a formidable combination for the upcoming T20 World Cup in June.”
While Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have expressed their desire to play T20Is and have been included in the series against Afghanistan, the selection committee is currently focused on the immediate vision for the Afghanistan series and not looking too far ahead, especially regarding the T20 World Cup.
The captaincy for the T20 World Cup, if Hardik Pandya is fit, remains uncertain. The selectors will closely monitor the players’ performances in the upcoming IPL, and current form will be a key consideration for selecting the squad for the T20 World Cup.”
The inclusion of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the T20I series against Afghanistan was a straightforward decision for the selection committee during their virtual meeting on Sunday.
With Hardik Pandya, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Suryakumar Yadav dealing with injuries, the return of the two stalwarts was evident. Sharma’s recent form in the World Cup played a significant role in his comeback, and both the BCCI and the selection committee believe he can continue to play a pivotal role in T20Is. Kohli’s consistent batting performance in recent months made his inclusion hard to overloo.
“In a strategic move, the selection committee has opted to rest pace bowlers Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah, key contributors to India’s bowling success in the recent South Africa series.
This decision aims to provide them with a much-needed break before the upcoming challenging five-match Test series against England. Additionally, Ravindra Jadeja, who was part of the South Africa tour, has been given a break.
The pace attack for the Afghanistan series will feature Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar, and Avesh Khan. With Hardik Pandya still recovering from injury, Mumbai’s Shivam Dube has been included in the squad.”
