'More Opportunities To Younger Players...': Sunil Gavaskar's Verdict On Rohit And Kohli's T20I Future

Former Indian cricket team skipper Sunil Gavaskar said on Monday that the reason behind Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's absence from T20 cricket can be the upcoming Test series against Australia. When asked about the decision taken by the selection committee to not include the two big names in the squad, Gavaskar said that the main reasons behind the call can be to give them rest ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and to provide opportunities to youngsters ahead of the next World Cup.

 “The way I see it is that, the next T20 World Cup is in 2024, next year, and the new selection committee that has come, wants to give more opportunities to the younger players. That doesn't mean that Kohli and Rohit won't be considered anymore. And if they have an impressive form throughout 2023 then they have to be in the team. The other factor is with the Australia series starting, the selectors might have wanted to rest them for the big contest so that they can make a fresh start against the Aussies and that will benefit India,” Gavaskar said during an interaction on India Today. 

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy will begin in February with the first Test taking place in Nagpur. 

Rohit and Kohli – a duo that has amassed massive numbers in the shortest form of the game – have not played any T20s since the last World Cup. They missed the series against New Zealand as well as Sri Lanka and they will not be a part of the side which is scheduled to face New Zealand in January 2023.