Former Indian national cricket team batsman and wicketkeeper Kiran More has shared his views on the selection of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the T20I squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against the national cricket team from Afghanistan.
The T20I matches between India and Afghanistan will take place on January 11, 14 and 17. The IS Bindra Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali, Punjab will host the first match, while the next two will be played at the Holkar Cricket Stadium. , Indore and M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru.
The biggest talking point to emerge from India’s team announcement for the Afghanistan T20I series was the return of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to the setup in the shortest format after a long gap.
The duo has not played any T20I match for the Indian national cricket team since the humiliating loss to the England national cricket team in the semi-final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia. The BCCI selection committee gave opportunities to the youngsters during this period and they did an excellent job for the team.
However, with the seniors returning to the T20I setup, there is a strong possibility that they will get a preference in the team for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 in the US and West Indies.
“Very good news for Indian cricket” – Kiran More on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s T20I comeback
During a discussion on Sports 18, Kiran More was asked if the selection of Kohli and Rohit for the Afghanistan T20Is is an indication of their selection for the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Replying to the question, More said that Rohit and Kohli have been included in the T20I squad based on their recent form and heroics in the 2023 World Cup. He elaborated:
“They have been selected based on their recent form. Their (selectors’) mindset changed slightly after two years. “I don’t know what they thought before, but they both had fantastic performances in the World Cup and also looked in form in the South Africa series.”
“The way Rohit Sharma captained in the World Cup and we also reached the final, he played exceptional innings and the aggression he showed, so the thinking changed slightly. So both of them have been retired and it is very good news for Indian cricket.”
The cricketer-turned-commentator was also asked about the message conveyed to Hardik Pandya following the inclusion of the veterans in the T20I team. Responding to this, Kiran More said that the star all-rounder, who has led India in T20Is since the 2022 T20 World Cup, needs to get fit quickly and play matches before the World Cup. He elaborated:
“Firstly, Hardik needs to get fit. First he needs to start playing cricket, that is extremely necessary. Once he does that, Hardik Pandya definitely ticks all the boxes. He has also been captain before.
“We don’t know the thinking of the selectors, what has happened inside, but Hardik will come into the team as soon as he is fit. He needs to play games before the World Cup. We don’t know when he will start, probably in the IPL, but he is preparing a lot. He is the best all-rounder in the world and all teams will want to have him.”
Hardik Pandya is currently out of action due to the injury he sustained in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. He is likely to return in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.
