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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will make an attempt to convince Rohit Sharma to continue leading the Indian cricket team in the T20I format, despite his initial reluctance following the team's semi-final exit at the 2022 T20 World Cup. The BCCI's secretary and convenor of the selection committee, Jay Shah, will meet with the chairman of the panel, Ajit Agarkar, in New Delhi to finalise the squads for the upcoming South Africa tour and discuss a roadmap for the next major event, the 2024 T20 World Cup.
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With regular T20 skipper Hardik Pandya sidelined for another month due to an ankle ligament tear sustained during the recently concluded ODI World Cup, the BCCI faces a decision between entrusting the captaincy to Suryakumar Yadav or reposing faith in Rohit's leadership skills, which have earned widespread praise over the past seven weeks.
Despite expressing earlier reservations about continuing to play in the T20 format, Rohit Sharma's exceptional leadership during the ODI World Cup has convinced the BCCI to consider him for captaincy duties in the T20s as well. The board's decision stems from Rohit's ability to inspire and motivate the team, which were evident throughout the ODI World Cup campaign.
The BCCI believes that Rohit's leadership experience and his rapport with the players make him an ideal candidate to lead the team in the T20 format, especially considering the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024. Rohit's proven track record as a captain in both ODIs and T20Is further strengthens the BCCI's belief in his capabilities.
"Yes, there remains a question what happens when Hardik comes back but in BCCI, they feel that if Rohit agrees to lead in T20Is, he will lead in the T20 World Cup. In case Rohit doesn't agree then Surya continues as captain for T20Is in South Africa," a BCCI source privy to the development told PTI on the condition of anonymity.
Meanwhile, Virat Kohli's participation in the upcoming white-ball series against South Africa remains uncertain as he has sought a break from the format. His inclusion in the squad will depend on his performance in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL).
Similarly, KL Rahul's selection in the T20I squad is contingent on his playing as a wicketkeeper-batter for the Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL. His dual role would provide the team with additional batting and wicketkeeping options.
The workload management of players is another crucial factor to be considered. With a packed schedule of six white-ball matches in just 11 days, including three ODIs within five days, the BCCI will need to carefully manage the playing time of key players to avoid fatigue and injury concerns.
The Test series against South Africa is scheduled to begin five days after the conclusion of the white-ball series, adding another layer of complexity to the team's selection process. Striking the right balance between workload management and performance expectations will be essential for the BCCI as they prepare for this challenging tour.
"The BCCI has always given preference to that particular white ball format which has a global tournament in next six months. ODIs post World Cup is third priority and five ODIs is a lot. Hence if Rohit leads in T20Is, he might take rest to freshen up for Tests. It will be decided by sports science team," the source said.
Rahul and Iyer to return to Test squad, Rahane's future unclear
KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer are expected to make their comebacks to the Indian Test squad after lengthy injury absences, potentially leading to the exclusion of Ajinkya Rahane. Cheteshwar Pujara's chances of retaining his spot are also slim. The only scenario in which Rahane could be retained is if Rahul decides to keep wickets in Tests, allowing Ishan Kishan to serve as the second wicketkeeper, opening up an additional batting slot. However, given Rahane's age of 35, the selection committee may be hesitant to look back. Rahul's willingness to keep wickets would enable both him and Iyer to fit into the Test XI.
Jasprit Bumrah, who has declared himself fit and eager to continue playing Test cricket, will join Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, and Shardul Thakur in the pace bowling department. Mukesh Kumar, who has impressed with his performances, is a strong contender for the reserve pacer's role.
Ravindra Jadeja will remain the first-choice spinner in overseas conditions, while Ravichandran Ashwin and either Axar Patel or Kuldeep Yadav will complete the spin trio. Kona Bharat, who has struggled with the bat, will only be considered if Rahul decides not to keep wickets.
WITH PTI INPUTS
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