Fans and experts are beginning to wonder about the future of T20I cricket’s regular captains Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli due to their ongoing absences. Both have been absent from the two T20I series India played against Sri Lanka in New Zealand since the T20 World Cup in November. They have not been included in India’s T20I squad for the upcoming series against New Zealand. Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has made a determination regarding the two batting legends’ future in Twenty20 cricket despite the BCCI’s continued quiet on the subject.
Before the selection for the Sri Lanka series at home was announced last month, a PTI report indicated that the selectors are seeking for specialist options, thus players like Kohli may be rested. Although neither the board nor the selectors have made an official remark, the tendency definitely seems to support that.
It was logical that Kohli and Rohit would miss the New Zealand series following the T20 World Cup because of workload management and player rest. Kohli, though, dropped a chance against Sri Lanka and was not selected for the New Zealand series. Due to an injury he sustained during the Bangladesh ODI series last month, Rohit was forced to skip the T20Is against Dasun Shanaka’s team. He is also not expected to play in the match against New Zealand.
There are concerns over Kohli and Rohit’s future in the format given their advancing ages and the fact that India is only scheduled for two more T20I matches, one in July/August against West Indies and the other following the ODI World Cup. In an interview with India Today, Gavaskar expressed his opinion that the new selection committee wants to give new players more opportunities and has therefore rested Kohli and Rohit, who also need this time off from the game to rehydrate for the Australia series, which starts on February 9 and continues through that date.
“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. 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.