The BCCI selection committee on Tuesday (December 27) announced Team India’s squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka at home.
The squad doesn’t feature India’s regular white-ball skipper Rohit Sharma, his predecessor Virat Kohli and KL Rahul.
While the BCCI hasn’t provided any reason for the troika’s absence from the T20I squad, a report published in PTI claimed that the BCCI has started the ‘phasing out’ period and the star batters might not be picked again in the shortest format keeping the T20 World Cup 2024 in mind.
“Yes, there will be no official announcement that Rohit has been removed from T20I captaincy but he along with Kohli and Rahul will be phased out from the format. Obviously, Rohit’s dislocated thumb injury hasn’t completely healed although he has started training. But phasing out has indeed started," a senior BCCI source privy to development told PTI on condition of anonymity.
Hardik Pandya has been named the captain of the T20I team with Suryakumar Yadav set to play the role of a deputy.
Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant is a notable exclusion from both the T20I and ODI squads. BCCI’s press release didn’t mention whether he has been rested or axed.
Meanwhile, a report suggested that Pant has been asked to report at the National Cricket Academy for a knee-strengthening rehabilitation programme for two weeks. Hence, he will sit out during the entire series against Sri Lanka.
From the ODI squad, Shikhar Dhawan’s omission caught everyone’s attention. Already out of India’s Test and T20I set-up, it seems that the veteran opener might have already played his last match for India.
While Dhawan failed to find a spot, young Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan were picked in the ODI squad as options for the opening slot.
India’s squad for Sri Lanka T20Is: Hardik Pandya (Captain), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (VC), Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, Sanju Samson, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Akshar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel, Umran Malik, Shivam Mavi, Mukesh Kumar.
India’s squad for Sri Lanka ODIs: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya (VC), Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Akshar Patel, Mohammad Shami, Mohammed. Siraj, Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh.
