"Not Possible To...": Rohit Sharma Breaks Silence On Skipping T20Is For India

07.08.2023 - 07:41 sports.ndtv.com

India's designated skipper across all formats, Rohit Sharma, hasn't played a single T20I game since the conclusion of the 2022 T20 World Cup.

Seeing the Indian team struggling in the T20Is against West Indies, questions over the absence of players like Rohit, Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, etc.

from the shortest format have intensified. Breaking silence over his T20I absence, Rohit admitted that it is 'not possible' for some players to play all formats, especially keeping this year's ODI World Cup in mind. "At the moment I think it was made clear in the past that it's a 50-over World Cup year for us.

And for some of the guys, it's not possible to play all formats. If you look at the schedule, there were back-to-back matches, so we decided on just looking at some players' workload that we wanted to make sure that they get enough break time and manage them.

cricket India Cricket Team on Rohit Sharma Usa India

Team India's 17-member squad for the Asia Cup 2023, starting from August 30, was announced earlier this week after a meeting between the selectors and the team management. India captain Rohit Sharma and the new chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar were also part of the meeting that took place in New Delhi. After the squad announcement, Rohit and Agarkar addressed a press conference where they spoke in details about squad, including the criteria behind the selection process.

Asia Cup 2023: Doors Shut For Ravichandran Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal To Make India ODI Return? Rohit Sharma's Big Reply

The Indian cricket team squad for Asia Cup 2023 was announced on Monday and a big exclusion was veteran spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal. Instead, the selectors went for the left-arm trio of Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav. During the press conference following the team selection meeting, skipper Rohit Sharma and BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar opened up about the reasons behind the team selection and what it can mean for the future when it comes to the ones who were not picked. "Axar Patel has done really well. He can bat too. Kuldeep Yadav has had a fantastic run to this point. So someone had to miss out. Kuldeep is currently a little ahead of him (Chahal), said Agarkar in the conference.

Not KL Rahul Or Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Shastri Picks Surprise No. 4 Batter For India At Asia Cup

The No. 4 conundrum remains one India's biggest headaches, going into the Asia Cup 2023. While KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer are capable of delivering at the spot, they haven't played cricket for a long time. Due to their lack of match practice, India's options for the No. 4 spot are limited. Assessing the current situation, former India head coach Ravi Shastri suggested Virat Kohli's name for the spot. Shastri even revealed that he had suggested Kohli's name for the same spot in the 2019 ODI World Cup too.

Ex-Australia Star Offers 2 Solutions For India's No. 4 Issue. Suryakumar Yadav Not Part Of It

With the uncertainty over KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer's fitness, former Australia spinner Brad Hogg has suggested a couple of solutions for the Indian team heading into the World Cup. Both Rahul and Iyer are currently undergoing rehab at the National Cricket Academy, and their absence has left a massive void in the Indian middle-order. While India have tried different combinations to address the issue, none of the players have managed to impress head coach Rahul Dravid and captain Rohit Sharma.

West Indies vs India: Yashasvi Jaiswal Shatters Rohit Sharma's 13-Year-Old India T20I Record

Yashasvi Jaiswal hammered an explosive 84 not out of 51 balls as India thrashed West Indies by nine wickets in the fourth T20I in Lauderhill on Saturday. Jaiswal pummelled West Indies all across the park, hitting 11 fours and three sixes during his stay in the middle, and helped the visitors level the five-match series ahead of the decider later today. The 21-year-old not only won the Player of the Match, but also broke a huge record held by India captain Rohit Sharma.

"Even I Am Not...": Rohit Sharma On Team India's Asia Cup Squad Selection

Several new players have made their senior international debut in the Indian team since the conclusion of the 2022 T20 World Cup. While the likes of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been away from the T20 format entirely, they were even kept away from the ODI side in the recent showdown against West Indies. With the Asia Cup being Team India's next big event, skipper Rohit Sharma suggested that even he isn't an automatic selection in the squad at the moment. Rohit also hinted that there will be pressure on some players to perform at the Asia Cup with World Cup spots up for grabs.