Ever since India’s ouster from the T20 World Cup 2022 semi-final, the team has been led by two different captains in the white-ball formats. Hardik Pandya has led the Men in Blue in T20Is whereas Rohit Sharma continues to lead the side in the 50-over format.
In fact, Rohit along with senior batter Virat Kohli is yet to play a T20I since India's semi-final exit from the 2022 edition of T20 World Cup.
While the selectors are yet to make an official statement on Rohit and Kohli’s T20I future, former head coach Ravi Shastri is of the opinion that India should move on from the two seasoned campaigners and bring in youngsters into the T20I setup.
The likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma and Jitesh Sharma are doing wonders in the ongoing IPL season and all three of them are yet to represent India in the shortest format.
"First T20 series that comes up, play these guys [the youngsters], expose these guys. They [the selectors] should start blooding them right now," Shastri said on ESPNcricinfo's Runorder show.
“Players like Rohit, Virat Kohli, they are proven, you know what they are all about. I would go in that [good performers in the IPL] direction so that they get the opportunities, they get the exposure, whilst you keep the Virats and the Rohits fresh for one-day cricket and Test cricket,” he added.
“Your focus there with that kind of experience should move to Test cricket, red-ball cricket for the future World Test Championship, and they stay fresh [so that] there is not too much of cricket where there is an overkill,” he further stated.
With the T20 World Cup slated to be held next year, Shastri said that players’ “current form” should be the basis of selection in the team.
“One year is a long time. Players can be in form, the form can disappear,” Shastri remarked. “You will pick the best guys at the time, and then, of course, the experience will count, fitness will count. Who is hot at the moment, who is consistent, who has got the runs and where he has got the runs.”
Shastri also batted for Hardik Pandya to take charge as full-time captain of the Indian T20I team, citing that the all-rounder will have the right people around him when the time comes.
“Oh, you will get that right with Hardik. He’ll get that right where he will want his six bowlers including himself and players for the right numbers,” Shastri said.
“Just seeing the way he has captained Gujarat Titans, you can see there is a player for a number and there is a role which he will take forward to the Indian team,” he added.
