Selectors not keen on having both Rohit and Kohli in India T20I XI, final call to be taken by BCCI top brass: Report

Following the completion of the historic South African tour with a triumphant victory in Cape Town, the attention now pivots back to white ball cricket. Put simply, the fate of two current Indian cricketing heavyweights, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, hangs in the balance. Since their last T20Is over a year ago, in the 2022 World Cup semi-final against England, both players have been noticeably absent. India's batting mainstays, however, have reportedly communicated their desire to have another shot at an ICC trophy to the selectors. According to several reports, Rohit and Kohli have made themselves available for the T20 World Cup, scheduled to take place in the USA and the West Indies in June. Yet, it remains to be seen whether the selectors will choose them.

Earlier, it was reported that Rohit's position was assured, given his performance in the ODI World Cup the previous year. Coupled with Hardik Pandya's persistent injury concerns, which saw him step in as a T20I captain in Rohit's absence last year, Rohit's case has further strengthened. Conversely, the same cannot be stated for Kohli, despite his renowned ability to score quickly in short-format matches, his batting rate could be concerning. As per recent reports, the selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar appears disinclined towards retaining both players in the squad. During the second Test, Ajit Agarkar, chairman of selectors, arrived in South Africa to consult both players, who made themselves available. However, in light of external issues, BCCI's influential secretary Jay Shah, may ultimately have to intervene and decide.

Despite the impending first T20I against Afghanistan in four days' time, the BCCI has yet to finalize the squad for the three match series, commencing on January 11. Agarkar will return to India soon, and the squad is expected to be announced following his return. If both Kohli and Rohit are integral to the playing XI, there are concerns that the overall team composition may be affected.

"If you include Rohit, Shubman Gill, Virat, Suryakumar Yadav, and Hardik as your top five, then who would be the lefthander? Let's suppose Kohli is dropped and Gill assumes No.3 with Yashasvi Jaiswal opening alongside Rohit. Can Ajit make such a brave decision?" an anonymous former national selector questioned.

If Rohit and Kohli are both selected, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ishan Kishan, a lefthanded keeper batsman and top-order batsman, could potentially miss out. If that happens, the think-tank may have to involve Jitesh Sharma as the keeper, along with Rinku Singh, entailing that only five bowlers can be accommodated, with Hardik Pandya needing to bowl four overs in each match upon his return from injury.

"There will always be external pressures to contend with if there are issues with flexibility, such as the ICC's promotional video featuring Kohli on a large billboard in New York. Additionally, MI posted an aerial advert of Rohit and Shaheen Shah Afridi, so there will be external pressure," a former BCCI office bearer commented.

"The ball now lies in Jay's court – how much he chooses to back Agarkar's committee remains to be seen. As things stand, either both players will be included or excluded entirely. The pragmatic approach would be to select both for the Afghanistan series, but postpone any commitment to the World T20 until IPL performances are evaluated," advised a seasoned administrator.