Indian captain Rohit Sharma and veteran batter Virat Kohli have been out of Men in Blue’s T-20 squad since the 2022 World Cup. The two senior batters were also recently left out of the Indian team during the last two ODI matches against the West Indies and weren’t even selected for the T-20 leg of the series.
In a recent interaction, Rohit Sharma has clarified why the duo were not selected for the Indian team’s T-20 squad for West Indies. He was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times, “Last year also we did the same thing — the T20 World Cup was there, so we didn’t play one-day cricket. Now also we are doing the same, the ODI World Cup is there, so we are not playing T20s.”
“ You can’t play everything and be ready for the World Cup. We decided this two years ago. (Ravindra) Jadeja is also not playing T20, you did not ask about him? I understand about the focus (on himself and Virat). But Jadeja is also not playing,” the Indian captain added
Rohit also admitted that the Indian team has a problem with the number four slot ahead of the ODI World Cup noting that injuries have given him a lot of trouble, saying ‘“Look, No. 4 has been an issue for us for a long time,”.
Since the end of the 2019 ODI World Cup, India have played more than 11 players at number four, with only Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant playing more than 10 innings. While Rishabh Pant has been ruled out of the World Cup, Shreyas Iyer is yet to return after suffering a back injury.
The Indian captain also praised Shreyas Iyer for consistent performance at the number 4 spot in ODI cricket, adding that “he has done well — his numbers are really good.”
“Unfortunately, injuries have given him a bit of trouble; he has been out for a while and that is honestly what has happened in the last 4-5 years” the Indian skipper was quoted by ICC as saying.
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Updated: 11 Aug 2023, 10:17 AM IST