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BCCI's 'two-year thinking' on Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli's T20I future changed post World Cup 2023: Ex-selector
Former BCCI chairman of selectors Kiran More reckons Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's red-hot form led to their return in India's T20I plans.
While the news of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli returning to India's T20I set-up after 14 months was received with a lot of joy by their ardent fans, to some it came as a jolt out of nowhere. The Indian T20I team was doing just fine without them – the youngsters were stepping out and played their roles in the series win against Australia and put up a show in South Africa. Yes, the loss against West Indies in August was a rude awakening but nothing alarming. They had even won a gold medal at the Asian Games.
So what tempted the BCCI to go back and turn to the two stalwarts of Indian cricket? Former BCCI chairman of selectors Kiran More feels the duo's form at the 2023 World Cup at home could have prompted the change in approach. Everyone – from Shastri to Gavaskar – felt that with India's defeat to England at the semifinals of the T20 World Cup, Kohli and Rohit's T20I saga is over. But this is the BCCI, who is never short of springing a surprise. And catch us off guard they did.
"They have been selected based on their recent form. Your (selectors) thinking changed slightly after two years. I don't know what their thinking was earlier but both gave fantastic performances in the World Cup and looked in form in the South Africa series as well," More told News18.
Kohli was the highest scorer at the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, with 296 runs at a stunning average of 98.66 having struck four half-centuries including the legendary 82 not out against Pakistan at the MCG. Ever since, Kohli has only played the IPL 2023, where the former Royal Challengers Bangalore had a fruitful season scoring 639 runs @ 53.25 with two centuries – his second-best season of all time after the legendary 963-run outing 8 years ago in 2016.
How Rohit has fared in T20Is lately
Rohit, on the other hand, was becoming a fading force in T20 cricket. With 116 runs at the T20 World Cup, and 332 for Mumbai Indians at last year's IPL, the prospect of Rohit returning to India's T20I scheme of things looked less. But the way he performed at the World Cup, leading India's batting charge from the front playing in a T20 mould and giving the team explosive starts, worked in his favour. With Rohit expected to do pretty much the same in the USA and West Indies, not only is he back against Afghanistan as an opener but as captain of the side too.
"The way Rohit Sharma captained in the World Cup and we reached the final as well, he played exceptional innings, the aggression he showed, so the thinking changed slightly. So both have been recalled and it is very good news for Indian cricket," pointed out More.
