Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli Back In T20 Squad Means Youth Players Will Lose Spots?

T20 World Cup 2024: Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will be included in the Afghanistan series.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli

The BCCI has revealed the squad for the upcoming T20 series against Afghanistan, appointing Rohit Sharma as the captain. Notably, Rohit Sharma, who has been absent from international T20 matches for almost a year, is set to lead the Indian team. The squad also features former captain Virat Kohli, suggesting both Rohit and Virat's readiness to participate in the T20 World Cup 2024 later this year.

Notably, Kohli and Rohit were some of the top performers for India in the recent at ODI World Cup home. Rohit Sharma opened the batting leading from the front and Virat Kohli batted at his usual position playing the anchor's role and shifting gears as per his team required. (Virat Kohli In Middle, Shubman Gill-Rohit Sharma To Open: Sanju Samson Over Jitesh Sharma; India's Probable Playing 11 Vs Afghanistan - In Pics)

Virat kohli and rohit sharma ready for afg series. pic.twitter.com/lHVBrj2c5l  jhons. (@Msdian3455) January 6, 2024

However, both the senior players haven't played a single T20I game for India since the T20 World Cup 2022 semifinal against England. The selectors have taken a cautious approach by including dynamic players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the T20 team after a hiatus of 14 months. Whether this decision will have repercussions for India in the T20 World Cup remains to be seen. The outcome will only become apparent with time. Given that India fell short of clinching the title in the last two T20 World Cups, Rohit and Kohli expressing their willingness to make another attempt cannot be faulted. In contrast, the selectors, who introduced several new players into the team following the defeat against England in the November 2022 semi-finals, do not face the same scrutiny. (WATCH: Hardik Pandya Working Hard For Comeback Ahead Of IPL 2024 And T20 World Cup 2024)

On the flip side, Suryakumar Yadav, recognized as the world's premier T20 batsman, boasts a strike rate exceeding 170. While Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad have demonstrated their potential in the limited opportunities they've received, the significance of their experience in ICC competitions cannot be understated. Sunil Gavaskar and Sourav Ganguly, echoing this sentiment, emphasized the importance of including Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the T20 World Cup team. However, the inclusion of both players mean some of the youngsters will make way and lose their spots in the team.