The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is all set to pick a white ball squad full of specialists for the three-match T20I home series against Sri Lanka, the news agency PTI reported. Moreover, KL Rahul is all set to be dropped as his poor performance of late has made sure that ‘his T20 days are numbered.’ Moreover, Hardik Pandya will be leading the team in Rohit Sharma’s absence who is yet to recover from his finger injury. Virat Kohli will also be rested.
India has a busy home season where they will be up against Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Australia which kicks off with the first T20I in Mumbai at the Wankhede stadium. It will be followed by two more games and the series is expected to be a fresh start for India possibly with a brand new skipper in Pandya. Earlier several media outlets had reported how the Baroda all-rounder is tipped to take over the reins of the side in the build-up to 2024 T20 World Cup in USA and West Indies.
“The old committee will probably select the Sri Lanka white ball squad,” a BCCI source privy to the development told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
“As of now, it doesn’t look like Rohit Sharma’s finger will heal enough before the T20Is and in that case, Hardik will lead the side. As far as KL Rahul is concerned, his T20I days seem to be numbered.”
KL Rahul had an average T20 World Cup in Australia where he scored a couple of fifties against weaker opposition. His T20 strike rate came under the glare for his ‘ultra-defensive batting’ argued the critics on social media. Even in the ongoing two-match Test series against Bangladesh, his string of poor scores continued when he was dismissed for 2 in the second innings of the Dhaka Test match.
Some players like Virat Kohli might also be given a break from the T20 format.
