The former Proteas skipper opined that these two experienced players will make a comeback in the T20I squad after the conclusion of the ICC ODI World Cup.
AB de Villiers believes that two of India’s best batters have been rested for the upcoming five-match T20I series against West Indies in preparation for the 2023 ODI World Cup later this year. The former South African skipper predicts that these two experienced players will make a comeback in the T20Is after the conclusion of the ICC tournament.
Notably, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have not played in T20Is since the 2022 T20 World Cup. They were previously excluded from the home T20I series against Sri Lanka and New Zealand earlier this year.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, AB de Villiers said, “We’ll see those names again, but I do like the Indian squad being a bit proactive and giving these youngsters a turn to show what their mettle is all about. Ultimately, Virat [Kohli] and Rohit [Sharma] also get some rest for that [ODI] World Cup coming up.”
Interestingly, Kohli had an outstanding performance in the IPL 2023, amassing 639 runs in 14 matches, which included two centuries while representing his franchise, the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Additionally, he emerged as the leading run-scorer in the T20 World Cup, scoring 296 runs in six matches at a strike rate of 136.41.
On the other hand, Rohit had a relatively disappointing season in the IPL 2023, managing to score 332 runs in 16 games with only two half-centuries. In the T20 World Cup, he struggled, accumulating just 116 runs in six matches at a strike rate of 106.42.
Furthermore, the 39-year-old de Villiers commended the inclusion of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, and Umran Malik in the T20I squad. Jaiswal showcased exceptional form, scoring 625 runs in 14 matches for the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the IPL 2023, with an impressive strike rate of 163.61, including one century and five fifties.
Meanwhile, Varma contributed 343 runs in 11 matches for the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the IPL 2023, at a strike rate of 164.11, including a solitary half-century.
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