Rohit in as captain, Kohli out? India to name T20I squad tomorrow for SA series

If the reports are to be believed, the BCCI will ask Rohit Sharma to lead the T20I team after his impressive leadership in this year’s World Cup.

By Darpan Jain Updated: Nov 29, 2023, 21:45 IST

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It’s worth noting that both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli haven’t played a T20I since India’s heartbreaking 10-wicket defeat against England in the T20 World Cup 2022 in Adelaide.

The caravan has moved on from the World Cup 2023, and the focus will shift to the T20Is now. A T20 World Cup is coming next year, and the Men in Blue have started preparing for it. They are currently playing a five-match T20I series against Australia and will play three matches in South Africa next month.

There has been a lot of buzz around the squad, and it will be interesting to see how the squad shapes up. However, some intriguing reports are coming up as the South Africa tour comes close. A BCCI source told PTI disclosed some massive information about India’s T20I setup.

If the reports are to be believed, the BCCI will ask Rohit Sharma to lead the T20I team after his impressive leadership in this year’s World Cup. Hardik Pandya, who suffered an ankle injury in the mega event, will be out of action for some time now. Rohit had earlier denied playing the shortest format to focus on the other two versions, and if he doesn’t agree to feature in T20Is, Suryakumar Yadav will continue leading the unit in South Africa.

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Meanwhile, Virat Kohli has asked for a break from the white-ball series against South Africa. He will return for two Tests. It’s worth noting that both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli haven’t played a T20I since India’s heartbreaking 10-wicket defeat against England in the T20 World Cup 2022 in Adelaide.

India’s T20I squad to be announced tomorrow

India’s T20I squad for South Africa tour will be announced tomorrow. Ajit Agarkar, the chief selector, and his team will have a meeting with the BCCI secretary to talk about the squads and the roadmap for the T20I World Cup. The squad will be disclosed after the meeting.

Rohit Sharma is expected to return and also lead the side against the Proteas as well as the T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and USA. While Kohli will not feature, for now, the doors are not closed for him. A lot will depend on his performance in IPL next year. The BCCI will also look to manage the workload of its players.

If Rohit features in T20Is, he will be rested for the ODI series consisting of three games to keep him fit for Test matches. The workload will be decided by the sports science team. It’s necessary to keep the players fresh and mentally fit.

The T20I team have had plenty of youngsters ever since India’s debacle in the T20 World Cup last year. Hence, it will be interesting to see whether Rohit agrees to lead the unit again after showing his disinterest earlier. India’s all-format tour to South Africa will kick off on December 10 with T20Is followed by ODIs and Tests.

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