Five months before the 2024 World Cup, the selectors have recalled both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli back in the setup despite neither playing a single T20I in 14 months.
Former India wicketkeeper-batter Deep Dasgupta is a little surprised at the development but reckons the thinking behind bringing back the two experienced batters could be based on the fact that pitches for the world cup may not be as batting friendly as they are otherwise in T20Is.
“I thought in T20 format, the team had moved on from Rohit and Kohli, so a little surprised here,” Dasgupta said on Star Sports. “Having said that the way Rohit played in the 50-over world cup, the main criticism was the lack of intent from the senior players in the last few T20 World Cups. We will have to keep that in mind the pitches to be expected in the West Indies. Are we expecting a 180 or 200-run wicket or 160-ish kind of games? So a little surprised since I, like a lot of people, thought we are looking beyond these two great players.”
Dasgupta also feels that despite all the different combinations that were experimented with since the last T20 World Cup, the latest decision has brought the team back to square one.
“To be very honest, I don’t see much direction for India (in T20s) in the past one year. If they had to return to Kohli and Rohit, I don’t know what we have gained in the past year since we have gone back to square one. They will be playing for the first time since the world cup. You can’t do much about it. There won’t be many changes in this team now. The middle-order will remain the same. I don’t think you will see any change,” Dasgupta said.
“Keep one thing in mind, pitches in West Indies aren’t batting friendly. In 160-170 kind of games, this looks a better option considering that. You have the experience and ability (in Kohli and Rohit),” he added.
