India’s chief selector Chetan Sharma confirmed on February 19 that veteran batter Virat Kohli and premier wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant will not take part in the third T20I versus the West Indies and have also been rested from the following set of home T20Is against Sri Lanka.
Pant and Kohli, who have been on the road and shifting bubbles since the tour of South Africa in December-January, have been given a 10-day breather before they resume duties for the Tests against Sri Lanka in early March.
Sharma explained as such, adding it is extremely important for the selectors and the management to look after the players’ physical and mental wellbeing and therefore, Kohli and Pant will be resting all four of India’s next T20Is.
The selection committee has also rested pace bowling allrounder Shardul Thakur for both T20Is and Tests against Sri Lanka after being in bubbles in South Africa and at home versus Windies. He is, however, available for selection for the final T20I against West Indies in Kolkata on February 20.
The Rohit Sharma-led T20I squad will welcome back two prominent faces in allrounder Ravindra Jadeja and wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson to the squad. Jadeja, who had been missing from the action since November last year after suffering a hand and knee injury, has now completed his recovery and is all set to rejoin the team.
Samson was dropped from the T20I squad last year despite playing the role of an aggressor wholeheartedly during the T20Is against Australia in late 2020.
The keeper not only acts as a back-up to Pant and a direct competitor to Ishan Kishan but also as a genuine middle-order candidate in the build-up to the T20 World Cup in Australia. Samson’s ability to attack pace and bounce makes him an attractive option, keeping in mind the conditions Down Under.
“Sanju is in our scheme of things. Most importantly we have to see which is a cricketer who will be useful on Australian wickets. He is definitely in our scheme of things [for the T20 World Cup in Australia later this year],”
Sharma was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
Jadeja’s comeback has meant the return of one of India’s two premier allround cricketers. But the other, Hardik Pandya, still remains sidelined as he goes through an extended rehab from a back problem that has held his horses on the bowling front since late 2020. Hardik, while an improving powerhitter, hasn’t managed to bowl at full-tilt for India and in the IPL for a long time.
Sharma indicated that the selection panel has told Pandya to get his injury issues sorted and resume bowling, and then only they will reconsider him.
“Hardik was a very important part of the Indian team. But after the injuries, until he is 100% fit, until we get a confirmation he is 100% fit, ready to go and that he is bowling and is match fit, we can’t consider him,”
he said.
The rest of the T20I squad that is in a tussle against the Calypso Kings stays intact for the series versus Sri Lanka as well, barring one notable exception. Spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has returned after a short breather following the tour of South Africa. Bumrah is also the appointed vice-captain for the three T20Is in KL Rahul’s absence due to injury.
Lucknow will host the first T20I on February 24, before the series shifts to Dharamshala for the last two games on February 26 and 27, respectively.
