Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli aren’t picked for the men’s Indian team playing in the T20I and ODI series against South Africa.
The Cricket Control Board in India (BCCI) reports that after the 2023 World Cup, two experienced batters asked for a time-out. The leader of this tournament is Rohit, with Virat Kohli as the high-ranking third hitter. Both played in every match. There’s a five-match International Twenty20 series on-going they began just post-World Cup, with Australia, from which they’re on a break.
“Mr Rohit Sharma and Mr Virat Kohli had requested the Board for a break from the white-ball leg of the tour,” a BCCI statement read.
The squads are set to compete in three T20Is during December 10-14, followed by three ODIs on December 17-21. The activities culminate in two big Tests set between December 26 and January 7.
The future of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in T20Is
The greatest concern, primarily confounded by conflicting, unconfirmed stories that circulated prior to the roster announcement, was whether Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli would be on the team. Now that they aren’t, the issue is what this means for their future in T20Is leading up to the 2024 World Cup.
No easy answer exists. Neither player has engaged in T20I cricket for more than a year. Their IPL record, particularly Rohit’s, hasn’t been the finest in a long time, with talented new players rising to take their position and doing admirably. Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal are two among them.
When they didn’t play a T20I series before the 2023 World Cup, it seemed like another nail in the coffin of their futures in the format. However, the fact that the BCCI just specified ‘break’ indicates that selectors have pushed the can ahead and postponed the difficult choice for another month.
