Rohit-Virat T20 Future: The End of Rohit-Virat's T20 career..? Questions raised on new chief selector Ajit Agarkar's decision

Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli out from T20 Team: The new chief selector Ajit Agarkar announced the T20 team for the West Indies tour under the captaincy of Hardik Pandya and vice-captaincy of Suryakumar Yadav. Virat Kohli and regular captain of ODI and Test team Rohit Sharma have been dropped from this team. Sanju Samson has returned, while questions have arisen over the non-selection of IPL star batsman Rinku Singh.

By the way, it is clear from the team announced by Ajit Agarkar that now the focus of BCCI is to prepare the team for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup to be held in 2024. If some T20 teams of the last time are seen, then the command is being handed over to Hardik Pandya continuously. The new team includes new faces like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Verma and Mukesh Kumar. Sanju Samson is back in the team.

These 6 players are out

The series against New Zealand in January-February included Rahul Tripathi, Deepak Hooda, Prithvi Shaw, Jitesh Sharma, Washington Sundar, Shivam Mavi. All these 6 players have been dropped from the team. While Shaw and Jitesh did not get a chance in the previous series, Rahul Tripathi and Hooda were flopping with the bat.

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Is one-way communication happening?

In recent times, detailed information is not given regarding team selection, nor does BCCI hold any press conference. Where direct questions and answers can be done. This selection surprised everyone and also raised questions on the new one-sided communication of BCCI.

In the team too, it was told through mail that which players would go on the Caribbean tour and who were given rest? What was the criteria for the selection of this team? How players got entry? There are many such questions, which are not only about Team India that went on this tour, but are showing the wavering attitude of BCCI for the last few years.

“One of the jobs of the chief selector is to speak to the players on their future plans. Rohit and Virat are not immune to that. Yes, we would have wanted to continue as long as they want. But all great players have a time to consider their plans. Playing three formats and IPL won’t be an easy job,” a senior BCCI official told InsideSport.

Naturally, ODIs will once again take a backseat. As per current plans, India will play 61 T20s in the next FTP cycle. Most of them will be in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup 2024 in October in the US and West Indies.

“Obviously, the focus shifts to T20s after the World Cup. Since 2007, we have not won the T20 WC and it is a priority and a matter of prestige now since IPL has been growing at a rapid pace. It does not look good if we don’t win the T20 WC with the kind of players coming through the IPL. The selection committee will make a blueprint on that soon after the 50-over WC,” the official added

Rohit and Virat have been dropped from the T20 team

Is Rohit and Kohli’s T20 career over?

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, the regular captains of the Indian cricket team, were last seen playing in the T20 World Cup played in 2022. Since then both have not been in any International T20 series. In such a situation, can it be assumed that considering the future, BCCI has decided to keep Kohli and Rohit out of T20?

What is the T20 future of Bhuvneshwar and Mohammed Shami?

No information has been given by the BCCI regarding Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami. No update has been given regarding the current status and fitness of the injured players. In such a situation, how will BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar overcome all these challenges is also an important question.

There were many other players in the five-match T20 series of West Indies, who are knocking on the doors of Team India. There are many others who can make a comeback. Rinku Singh and Rituraj Gaikwad are such players. Rinku Singh scored 474 runs in IPL 2023 at an average of 59.25 and a strike rate of 149.53. On the other hand, he made Kolkata win the lost game against Gujarat. Many cricket fans would not have forgotten this match till date. In Yash Dayal’s last over, he won the match by hitting five consecutive sixes in five balls.

Same is the case with Chennai Super Kings opener Rituraj Gaikwad. In IPL 2023, Gaikwad scored 590 runs at an average of 42.14. Gaikwad had a big contribution in making Chennai the champion for the fifth time. Apart from Rinku and Gaikwad, Gujarat Titans’ Rahul Tewatia, Mumbai Indians’ fast bowler Akash Madhwal will have to wait for now.

T20 squad for West Indies tour: Ishan Kishan (wk), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Verma, Suryakumar Yadav (vice-captain), Sanju Samson (wk), Hardik Pandya (captain), Akshar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Umran Malik, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar.

Team India West Indies tour schedule

First Test Match – 12 to 16 July, Dominica
Second Test Match – 20 to 24 July, Port of Spain

First ODI – July 27, Bridgetown
Second ODI – July 29, Bridgetown
Third ODI – August 1, Port of Spain

1st T20 – August 3, Port of Spain
2nd T20 – 6 August, Guyana
3rd T20 – August 8, Guyana
Fourth T20 – August 12, Florida
Fifth T20 – August 13, Florida