Can't say no to Rohit and Kohli if they are available for T20 World Cup: Srikkanth

Listen to Story Former India captain and chief selector Kris Srikkanth said he would definitely have Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in his T20 World Cup 2024 plans, saying the selectors can't say no to the two senior batters if they make themselves available to play the show piece event in June. Kris Srikkanth highlighted that Virat Kohli was the leading run getter in the T20 World Cup in 2022 and that he believes the former captain will be a certainty in India's T20 World Cup plans and that Rohit Sharma will be keen on making an impact in another world event after having had the heartbreak in the ODI World Cup final last year.

Kris Srikkanth's comments came even as the for the upcoming series against Afghanistan the 3 T20Is which will also be India's last international assignment in the shortest format of the game ahead of the World Cup. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have not played T20Is since India's World Cup semi final exit in November 2022.

Both to play the T20I format, putting the selectors in a bit of a spot as they had given opportunities to youngsters throughout the 2023 season. Chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar met the senior players in South Africa but there was no conclusive decision made regarding the team for the Afghanistan series.

Hardik Pandya, who led India in the T20Is in 2023, has been out with an injury since the ODI World Cup and Suryakumar Yadav, who led against Australia and South Africa, is also unavailable due to injury. "Virat Kohli is a certainty. He is in great form. Rohit Sharma, maybe, is confident because of how he scored in the World Cup.

He will regroup and try and do well in the IPL. If Rohit Sharma says I am available, you can't say you will drop him," Kris Srikkanth said in his YouTube show. "At the end of the day, Rohit Sharma is also hurt that he has lost a World Cup. He would like to go out with a World Cup in his hand at least.

He was there in the 2007 World Cup. He would want to do something similar, win a World Cup, and go out. "Virat Kohli would definitely want to win a T20 World Cup. Moreover, last year only the T20 World Cup took place, 13 months back. Virat Kohli was in extraordinary form," Srikkanth added.

"If they say they are available, I don't think you can drop them. If you want to give captaincy to Hardik, you can. But you have to also look at his (Hardik's) fitness." The BCCI senior selection committee is likely to meet in Mumbai on Sunday to discuss the roadmap for the T20 World Cup and take important calls on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's T20I future.

It also remains to be seen if KL Rahul, who expressed his desire to return to the T20I set up, will be considered for the upcoming series against Afghanistan. India and Afghanistan play 3 T20Is from January 11 to 17. Afghanistan named a power packed 19 member squad for the big series in India..