Former India skipper Virat Kohli is once again a hot topic of discussion after reports emerged that the Indian team management and selectors are unclear about fitting Kohli in the T20I middle-order. The selectors picked the squad for the three-match ODI series in West Indies later in July, with regular captain Rohit Sharma, Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, and Jasprit Bumrah having been rested. Meanwhile, the team will be led by Shikhar Dhawan with Ravindra Jadeja as his deputy during the Caribbean series.
According to a report in the Times of India, Rohit, Pant, and Pandya will most likely travel to the Caribbean for the five-match T20I series that follow the ODI matches. But Kohli will not be a part of this group unless he is able to prove himself in the upcoming two T20Is and the ODI series in England.
“The T20I team has been withheld to evaluate the rest needed to be given to the top players. Rohit, Pant, and Pandya are likely to play the T20Is in West Indies. Bumrah most likely will not be travelling to the Caribbean. As for Kohli, one needs to see what the team management decides on what it needs for the T20 World Cup. This limited-overs series in England is very crucial for Kohli,” a source said on Wednesday.
The report also suggests that the BCCI is unhappy with senior players frequently sitting out of series, “In every selection meeting, the issue of workload management comes up. Players like Rohit, Kohli, Pandya, Bumrah, and Shami are always talked about needing rest. All these players have always got the preference to get rest. The trainers and physios send notes to the selectors through the team management that these players need to be given rest,” the source said.
“These players sit out every second series. And all of them have good BCCI contracts. Rohit has barely played for India since he assumed the full-time captaincy. Pandya just got back to playing for India. Bumrah and Shami too play select matches. And Kohli too has been given rest after each series. And then we realise that there is a struggle to form a settled team. Pant is the only cricketer who has played most for India in the last couple of years,” the source added.
India squad for West Indies tour
Shikhar Dhawan (Captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Deepak Hooda, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Ravindra Jadeja (vice-captain), Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Avesh Khan, Prasidh Krishna, Mohd Siraj, Arshdeep Singh.
