Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt has said that while Hardik Pandya stating that India can field three different teams and still come out on top is true, the absence of senior players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah compromises on quality.
This was related to the recent three-match ODI series where Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli barely had anything to do in the first encounter and were then rested from the last two ODI matches as India experimented with their combination.
The reason given for not playing Kohli and Rohit in the second and third ODI was to let the squad players have a crack before the all-important World Cup later this year.
The duo was not picked in the Indian team for the T20I series as both Kohli and Rohit last played in the shortest format in the T20 World Cup 2022. The experimentation has not been without any price. The team lost the first two T20Is and got back in the series by winning the third match.
This has led to criticism from all quarters as fans and experts want the Indian team to play with their best players.
Former Pakistan batter Salman Butt is one of those not liking the rapid changes and believes India does have talent, but resting senior players compromises on quality.
“It’s not an ideal combination when their key players are not playing. If Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Rohit Sharma are not playing, if their experienced players are missing, it’s not the same thing. They say they can make three different teams.
Yes, the talent pool and exposure are there, but the quality without their key players shows that the team cannot perform at the same level. Senior players carry their weight, their experience makes a difference on the opposition as well,” Butt said on his YouTube channel.
While seemingly the BCCI selectors have moved on from Rohit and Kohli in T20Is, Jasprit Bumrah, who has been out of action for almost one year, will make his comeback on the T20I tour of Ireland where he will lead the Indian team.
