ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024: Pros & Cons of having Rohit Sharma & Virat Kohli in India squad. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are back in T20Is squad after T20 WC 2022 for the first time.
With the 2024 World T20 just a few months away, the debate regarding the team India’s squad has heated up. India have a few selection headaches to worry about regarding the 2024 World T20 squad. The Indian selectors and the team management have to decide whether to draft experienced players such as Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. If at all, the two cricketers decide to play the shortest format of the game. For the record, these two players have not played a single T20I since India’s exit from the 2022 World T20 semis.
There are multiple reasons why the two cricketing stars didn’t play a single T20I ahead of the 2024 World T20. Right after the disastrous 2022 World T20 campaign, the focus shifted to the 2023 ODI World Cup, and the World Test Championship. India made it to the finals of both these tournaments but ended up as runners-up to Australia in both. Secondly, India selectors didn’t select these two players because of their diminishing returns in the shortest format of the game.
Here’s a look at these two cricketers’ T20I performances in the last two years ending with 2022 World T20
Rohit Sharma | Matches | Runs | Average | Strike Rate | 50s/100s |
2021 | 11 | 424 | 38.54 | 150.88 | 5/0 |
2022 | 29 | 656 | 24.29 | 134.42 | 3/0 |
Virat Kohli | Matches | Runs | Average | Strike Rate | 50s/100s |
2021 | 10 | 299 | 74.75 | 132.88 | 4/0 |
2022 | 20 | 781 | 55.78 | 138.23 | 8/1 |
The stats convey that although Rohit adopted an aggressive approach, and boasts a good strike and average in 2021, his average and strike rate dropped in the 2022. Virat Kohli, on the other hand, managed an impressive average of above 55 in both 2021 and 2022. But, his strike rate kept falling below 140 every year as he adopted an anchoring role. In comparison, his strike rate in the six years preceding 2021 was above 140 in all but one.
Another reason for their non-selection could be that the selectors were looking for young players to match up to the rigours of T20 cricket. Hence, post the 2022 World T20, young and fresh players were given the chance to play in the shortest format, with Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav leading the team.
But now, selectors may do go for a U-turn and opt for these two stalwarts of Indian cricket to fill up BCCI’s empty cupboards of ICC tournaments since 2013. India last won an ICC tournament way back in 2013 when the MS Dhoni-led team defeated England in the Champions Trophy final.
Here are a few reasons why selectors may opt for experience in Kohli and Rohit
Changing batting approach of Rohit – Rohit shed his accumulator approach, and is now an aggressive opening batter. He decimated the opposition bowlers in the 2023 ODI World Cup and gave the team brilliant starts throughout the tournament, something that will be needed in the 2024 World T20 as well.
Captaincy – With Hardik Pandya prone to injuries, and Suryakumar Yadav still new to captaincy in this format, Rohit may be handed over the captaincy duties after his impressive stint in the 2023 ODI World Cup. Rohit’s experience as a captain and five IPL tournaments wins may come in handy for the 2024 World T20.
Kohli’s anchoring – T20 is not just the slam-bang version of cricket. It also needs an anchor around which hard-hitting batters can play their natural game and take the game away from the opponents. And Kohli is a master in anchoring. Remember his brilliant 82 not out to win a memorable World T20 match against Pakistan in 2022.
Chaos and Confusion may relay in with the selection of Rohit and Kohli
There will be clutter at the top
Since the 2022 World T20, the selectors and the team management have only focussed on youth playing the shortest format. If they go for experience in Rohit and Kohli, they would have to drop a few top-order batters and youngsters such as Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad or Ishan Kishan, or even Shubman Gill. All of them have done well for India in the shortest format since the 2022 World T20.
They might not fit all these players, and dropping the young performers would be a tough selection decision. It would also be unfair to them as they have replaced the two stalwarts in the XI with consistency and the same skill set. For example, Jaiswal brings in his aggressive approach as the opener, while Gaikwad anchors the innings before exploding in the death – just like Rohit and Kohli respectively.
Might affect the team’s balance and create an unhealthy atmosphere in the dressing room
Drafting in experienced Rohit and Kohli in place of youth who have done well so far in T20Is for India since 2022 can affect the team’s balance. It may create an unhealthy atmosphere in the dressing room as seniors will be getting preferential treatment over youngsters who did the hard yard to make a place for themselves in the team.
But does India need experience in the squad to balance a team full of youngsters in a big tournament like the World T20? That’s a question India selectors and team management have to ponder upon hard and come to a conclusion. They might not look further than the 2007 World T20 where seniors gave the tournament a miss while a young team led by Dhoni won India the tournament.