Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has said that the BCCI selectors need to sit down with senior batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma and have a serious discussion about their future in T20I cricket. Harbhajan further believes that Indian team management should continue to back their youngsters on the road to the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have not played a T20I for India since November 2022 when India lost to England in the semi-final of T20 World Cup 2024. Since then India has had various captains in T20Is including Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah and now Suryakumar Yadav, who have led a bunch of young guns to glory with series wins in Ireland and Australia at home.
With a focus on the T20 World Cup 2024, the BCCI selectors are considering finalizing the squad for the tournament as India has only six T20Is left to decide. The selectors will also have the IPL 2024 to gauge the performance of the players as the T20 WC begins on June 4 in the West Indies and USA.
In an interview with Sports Tak, Harbhajan said, “Suryakumar Yadav’s team played exceptionally well in the recent matches. I believe we must now think about the future. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are big names; there should be a discussion with them.”
“If we back our youngsters now, we will be able to get them ready for the T20 World Cup. With that said, it is important to talk to Virat and Rohit and know what they think of their T20 future. The BCCI chairman and selectors will have to do that,” he added.
Notably, while the BCCI wants Rohit Sharma to captain the side in the T20 World Cup 2024, both he and Virat Kohli have opted out of the South Africa white-ball series to have a break. Suryakumar Yadav will lead the Indian team in the T20Is and KL Rahul will lead in the ODIs in the absence of Rohit Sharma.
This is the first time India will have three different captains in a single tour.
