India's senior stars to return for Afghanistan T20Is: Reports ahead of today's squad announcement
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, two of the country's batting stalwarts, have conveyed their availability for selection in the upcoming T20Is against Afghanistan. This revelation comes despite the fact that they have not featured in T20 Internationals since the 2022 T20 World Cup. According to information shared by The Indian Express, both Sharma and Kohli are eager to don the Indian jersey once again in T20 Internationals.
India T20I squad announcement today: Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to return?
The announcement has added a layer of intrigue to the upcoming selection committee meeting scheduled for Friday. During this meeting, the committee will have the crucial task of picking the team for the upcoming three T20 games against Afghanistan, as well as the first two Tests against England. The series against Afghanistan is set to commence on January 11, followed by the much-anticipated five-match Test series versus England, starting on January 25.
It's worth noting that India's T20I squad for the Afghanistan series will undergo some significant changes. Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav, who have been instrumental in India's T20I campaigns, will be unavailable for selection due to injuries. As a result, the selection committee will need to appoint a new captain for the T20 matches. will Rohit return as captain to the T20I side? If so, who does he replace with Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad already in the team as openers.
In another notable development, the selection committee is contemplating resting the pace duo of Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah for the upcoming games against Afghanistan. Both Siraj and Bumrah played pivotal roles in India's emphatic victory over South Africa at Cape Town recently, which allowed India to level the two-match series.
Question:- What are you thinking about Afghanistan T20I series?.
— CricketMAN2 (@ImTanujSingh) January 4, 2024
Rohit Sharma:- "Right now let's only talk about Cape Town". pic.twitter.com/JaBUMqmEbw
However, it seems that the focus for Siraj and Bumrah may now shift towards the Test matches against England. Their exceptional skills with the red ball are expected to play a crucial role as India looks to assert its dominance in the longer format of the game.
This decision to rest and strategize for the Test series is indicative of the Indian team's commitment to maintaining a balanced squad for various formats of the game and ensuring the best possible performance in each series.
As cricket enthusiasts eagerly await the official announcement of the squad, the return of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to India's T20I team is sure to add an extra layer of excitement and anticipation for the upcoming series against Afghanistan.