As the new BCCI Chairman of the Indian cricket team (men’s) Ajit Agarkar named his first squad for the 5-match T20I series against West Indies in the West Indies and the USA.
The squad lacked a number of senior players who are either dropped or rested – there is no communication from the BCCI selectors with the media whatsoever about their decision-making – while a few fresh faces were included and are set to be given chances as India builds the side for the 2024 T20 World Cup next year in the WI and USA.
There is a chance, even if slim, that some of the excluded senior players may have played their last T20I for India and might not play in the shortest international format again.
Here are 4 senior Indian players who might never play T20I again:
Rohit Sharma
Although Rohit Sharma is still officially India’s three-format captain, it is Hardik Pandya who’s been leading the T20I side since last year. Rohit Sharma hasn’t played a single T20I since last year’s T20 World Cup in Australia.
While he’s said to be “rested” from T20I to focus on ODIs and Tests, there are also rumors that the selectors and the BCCI have decided to move on from Rohit Sharma in T20I cricket and after the World Cup 2023, will name Hardik Pandya as the permanent T20I skipper.
Rohit Sharma is 36 years old and his batting form in T20 cricket has been dwindling. So it won’t be a surprise if Rohit never plays a T20I again for India.
Virat Kohli
Similar to Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli too has been “rested” from all T20I matches since last year’s T20 WC in Australia. Unlike Rohit, Kohli has been in good nick in the T20 format – he had a prolific T20 WC and the IPL 2023 – but it could also be a case of selectors moving on from Kohli in the shortest format, that would allow him to prolong his career in the two longer formats.
Kohli will turn 35 in November this year. And there will need to be a decision taken about his playing all three formats, because it’s unlikely he will feature in all three formats; maybe T20 cricket is the one he could either himself or by the selectors be dropped.
R Ashwin
R Ashwin is even older than both Kohli and Rohit: he will turn 37 in September this year. Ashwin also hasn’t featured in any T20I match since the T20 WC in Australia and has been dropped from ODIs since January last year.
Although he made a comeback in T20I cricket over the past two years, now India have certainly looked away from him with the likes of Sundar and Axar, both spin-bowling all-rounders, emerging in recent years.
Mohammed Shami
Mohammed Shami’s case in T20Is has been weird. He doesn’t play much T20Is in the interim as his focus is to keep his body fit and fresh for ODIs and Tests, and yet, he finds himself in the T20 World Cup squad over the past two tournaments.
Now, though, the 32-year-old might not play for India in T20Is again as there is a serious crop of pacers emerging in the past couple of years.
