'There is no need to pick them': Ex-India selector's bold statement on Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli after Sri Lanka T20Is
The former Indian selector has made a bold statement about batting icons Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma ahead of the 1st ODI between Team India and Sri Lanka.
Premier batter Suryakumar Yadav and all-rounder Axar Patel guided Rohit Sharma-less Team India to an impressive series win over Sri Lanka at Rajkot on Saturday. Despite missing the services of seasoned campaigners Rohit, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya-led Team India defeated Sri Lanka in the 3rd T20I by a huge margin to secure the bilateral series 2-1 at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium.
Days after India extended its streak of bilateral series wins at home, former Indian selector Saba Karim has urged the Indian think tank to avoid picking veteran batters Rohit and Kohli in India's T20I squad during the One Day International (ODI) World Cup year. However, the former Indian cricketer and full-time cricket pundit opined that the batting duo of Rohit and Kohli can be drafted back into the T20I squad under one condition.
Sharing his views during a discussion on India News Sports, Karim also recalled how veteran batter Dinesh Karthik earned his India call-up ahead of the T20 World Cup. "There is a chance that Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will have a fantastic IPL season. If that happens, the selectors will not be able to look beyond them. The same happened in Dinesh Karthik's case last year. However, I feel there is no need to pick them currently. Yes, they can be considered if they do well in the IPL," Karim said.
After being rested for the Sri Lanka T20Is, skipper Rohit and batting icon Kohli will return to the Indian side for the three-match ODI series against the visitors. On the eve of the 1st ODI against Sri Lanka, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) revealed that pacer Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the entire series. According to the media release, Bumrah will need some more time to build bowling resilience and the decision has been taken as a precautionary measure. The all-India senior selection committee has not named any replacement for the senior pacer. Rohit-led Team India will meet Sri Lanka in the 1st ODI of the bilateral series at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Tuesday.
