IND v NZ 2021: KL Rahul in contention to lead India in T20I series against New Zealand- Reports

Rohit Sharma is the leading contender to replace Kohli as India's T20I captain.

By Jatin Sharma - 02 Nov, 2021

The ongoing poor performance of the Indian team has led to the focus of the management being put on the player fatigue as well as some have complained about the bio-bubble life and which has affected their performance as well.

This has also shifted the focus of the Indian selectors who are expected to meet in the next couple of days to pick the squad for the upcoming home series against New Zealand.

It has been reported that due to the immense workload of some of the players who have been in bio-bubbles since August when they visited the UK for the World Test Championship and the England Test series and then moved to the UAE to be in the IPL 2021 bubble and now in the T20 World Cup as well.

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Rohit Sharma is the leading contender to captain Team India in T20Is as Virat Kohli will step down as captain in the shortest format after the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021.

But it has been reported that as a result of the selection committee thinking of giving many senior Indian players rest before the New Zealand Test series, KL Rahul is expected to lead the Men in Blue against the BlackCaps in the three T20I series in India.

"The seniors would need a breather and it is no secret that Rahul is an integral part of the team's T20 structure. He is almost certain to lead,” a source told ANI.

A BCCI official also mentioned the return of fans in the stadium for the series, but with an eye on the COVID-19 protocols.

"Yes, we will have fans coming in, but it won't be full capacity. We will work closely with the local authorities and plan the way forward," a BCCI official said.

The players to be picked for the tour are likely to be asked to report by November 10, to undergo a five-day quarantine before a couple of days of practice.

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Also, the formalities over the appointment of India's next head coach are yet to be completed. There is a likelihood that Rahul Dravid, who has already applied for the position, may also join them by then.

The deadline for the head coach position ended on October 26 but the deadline for the submission of applications for other coaches - batting, bowling, and fielding - is November 3. It is not clear if the interviews will be completed by November 10. It is learned that applications from some non-cricketers were apparently received.

New Zealand will play a T20I series and then follow it up with two Test matches. The T20Is will be played on November 17 in Jaipur, November 19 in Ranchi, and November 21 in Kolkata. The two Tests will be played in Kanpur (November 25-29) and Mumbai (December 3-7).

(ANI/Cricbuzz inputs)

By Jatin Sharma - 02 Nov, 2021

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