The Ajit Agarkar-led Team India selection committee faces a crucial decision in selecting the squad for the upcoming T20I series against Afghanistan, which is the last T20I assignment before the 2024 World Cup. The selectors are in a dilemma over whether to pick Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who have expressed their eagerness to participate in the major international event in June. Both players have not played a single T20I match since India's semi-final loss to England in the 2022 World Cup and were also not part of the white ball leg on the tour of South Africa.
The selectors are likely to speak to head coach Rahul Dravid along with Rohit and Kohli during the final Test against South Africa. The Indian Cricket Board has hinted that not being included in the squad for the Afghanistan series does not mean that they will not be considered for the World Cup.
The encounter against Afghanistan is scheduled to commence on January 11 and will last on January 17. Meanwhile, with the crucial five-match England Test series starting on January 25, Rohit and Kohli are unlikely to be selected for the T20I series. One of the PTI reports stated that the Afghanistan series will not decide their T20I future but IPL 2024's knock will matter.
“Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya aren’t fit. The Afghanistan series won’t tell you anything. Everything will be decided based on the first month of IPL,” a senior Indian Cricket Board source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
A total of 25-30 players will be closely monitored during the IPL 2024 session. This decision will help to keep the players in line in case of any injury or fitness issues.
“The cricket board can never tell a franchise to manage a star player's workload unless it's a case of injury management,” the source added.
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