India have dropped Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from their T20I squad for their upcoming home series against New Zealand. KL Rahul has also been absent from the team and BCCI attributes his absence, as well as Axor his Patel’s absence from both his ODI and T20I in the series, to family involvement, but is an Indian regular. One format did not reveal the specific reason for his captain Rohit. , and Kohli are absent from the series.
As a result, India’s top pick, who has finished in the top three of his T20 World Championships the last two times, has missed the T20I series in a row.
However, this may not yet have a significant impact on the long-term future of this format in India. Ahead of his ODI series with Sri Lanka, which recently ended, Rohit said he will play all three formats in the coming months due to the amount of work he has to do against many older players in selection and team management. He said it became clear that he could not. India is gearing up for the 50+ World Cup later this year.
Hardik Pandya, who captained India in the three T20Is against Sri Lanka earlier this month, will continue to lead the side in the T20I series, which will be played in Ranchi, Lucknow and Ahmedabad from January 27 to February 1, with Suryakumar Yadav as his deputy.
Rohit and Kohli are part of the squad for the ODI series that will take place before the T20Is, from January 18 to 24 in Hyderabad, Raipur and Indore.
Prithvi Shaw in, Harshal Patel out
The T20I squad is also notable for the return of opener Prithvi Shaw, who last played for India in July 2021, and whose absence from subsequent squads – particularly in the T20 format – has been a constant source of debate, given his rare ability to provide rapid starts in the powerplay. Shaw forced himself into the reckoning earlier this week by scoring 379 off 383 balls – the second-highest first-class score by an Indian batter – for Mumbai against Assam in the Ranji Trophy.
Left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav, who took a Player-of-the-Match-winning 3 for 51 in the third ODI against Sri Lanka on Thursday, is also back in the T20I squad, having last featured for India in that format in August 2022. He is one of two wrist spinners alongside Yuzvendra Chahal.
Sanju Samson, who was sidelined with a knee injury midway through his T20I series against Sri Lanka, remains in the team. The BCCI release did not provide any updates on his fitness. His replacement Jitesh Sharma will remain in the squad alongside Ishan Kishan as he is one of his two options at wicketkeeper.
A fast bowler who only played his first T20I against Sri Lanka, Harshal his Patel was left out of the squad.
KS Bharat Recruited to ODI Team
While Rahul will not appear in his ODI, India uncapped he called KS Bharat as his second wicketkeeper after Kishan. Bharat is also part of his India squad for his first two Tests against Australia in February. He is expected to join Kishan in the main wicketkeeper role in the absence of regular his goalkeeper Rishab Punt, who underwent knee ligament surgery following a serious car accident in late December. .
Meanwhile, Axar’s absence forced the selectors to seek Shabazz for an equal understudy in Ahmed. Both are all-rounders who hit with their left hand and throw with their left arm. Shahbaz has been part of his White Ball his mix for the last few months, playing three of his ODIs and most recently he played on his tour of Bangladesh in December.
Also returning to the squad is Fast, his all-rounder He Shardul Thakur, who bowled after the loss against Sri Lanka. Left touch Arshdeep Singh, who was part of the ODI squad against Sri Lanka, missed a chance in the starting XI but remains part of the T20I squad.
Jaspirit Bumrah, the first pick in the ODI team against Sri Lanka before retiring before the start of the series – he is recovering from a long-standing back injury – has been on both the whiteball team as well as the first two teams. No. Testing for Australia.