 |
| Rohit, Virat, and Other Key Players to Skip Sri Lanka Tour |
Indian team will play two Test matches against Bangladesh, three Test matches against New Zealand, and the five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia.
Key Points:
· Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah to be rested for the ODI series against Sri Lanka.
· Hardik Pandya or KL Rahul likely to be appointed as captain for the series.
· Indian players requested time off from BCCI.
Detailed Overview:
Indian captain Rohit Sharma, star batsman Virat Kohli, and fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah are likely to be rested for the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka in August. In their absence, either Hardik Pandya or KL Rahul may lead the team. Reports suggest that these senior players have requested a break from the BCCI.
Rohit’s Extended Playing Streak:
Rohit Sharma has not taken a break for the past six months. He has been consistently playing since the South Africa Test series held in December-January, followed by the Afghanistan T20I series, the England Test series, IPL, and the recently concluded T20 World Cup. The Indian team is scheduled to play three T20Is (27-30 July) and three ODIs (2-7 August) against Sri Lanka.
Prioritizing Test Matches:
A BCCI source, speaking anonymously to PTI, mentioned, "Both (Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli) are natural choices for the ODI team and three 50-over matches against England before the Champions Trophy are sufficient for their practice. Over the next few months, they will prioritize Test matches as India will play 10 Test matches between September and January."
India's Schedule:
India's cricket calendar includes two Test matches against Bangladesh, three Test matches against New Zealand, and the five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia.
Competition for Captaincy:
The source added, "The Champions Trophy is in mid-February, and there is no need for them to go to Sri Lanka for a week-long three-match ODI series. They are welcome to play if they want, but I think they will prefer to rest." In Rohit's absence, Hardik Pandya is the most likely candidate to lead the Indian team. However, KL Rahul, who captained the ODI team in South Africa, is also a strong contender for the captaincy.
