In particular, the inclusion of seasoned players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the World Cup squad in June presents a difficult option for the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee ahead of the T20 series against Afghanistan. There is additional mystery surrounding the selection process because neither of these veterans has played for India in the T20 format since the T20 World Cup semifinal matchup with England in November 2022.
Before finalising the team for the series against Afghanistan, the selection committee—which currently consists of members Shiv Sunder Das and Salil Ankola—will meet with head coach Rahul Dravid, Test and ODI captain Rohit Sharma, and star batsman Virat Kohli. About thirty T20 experts, including IPL players, are being inspected in front of the ICC event in the Caribbean and the United States, and the excitement is evident.
It is still up for debate whether to play Rohit Sharma and Kohli in the brief series that begins in Mohali on January 11 or to assess their form and fitness throughout the IPL. Fans are excited that both contemporary icons have stated that they would like to play in the T20 World Cup.
It appears unlikely that Virat and Rohit Sharma, should they be selected, would play more than a few matches in the England Tests, which begin in Hyderabad on January 25.
They’re not fit: Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya. You won’t learn anything from the Afghanistan series. According to a top BCCI official cited by NDTV, “everything will be decided on the basis of the first month of the IPL.”
Amid worries about Hardik Pandya’s fitness, the BCCI will keep a tight eye on players’ workloads in the 2024 IPL.
Recognizing the need for a careful balance in managing workloads, the BCCI is aware of the limitations in advising teams on player usage in the IPL 2024. In order to give the selection committee a backup plan in the event of injuries or fitness problems, 25 to 30 players are anticipated to be attentively watched during the two months of the IPL. The lack of a direct successor, however, may present a special challenge for Hardik Pandya, the freshly elected captain of the Mumbai Indians.
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