Picture Credit: Twitter
The All India Senior Selection Committee decided to rest senior players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant and Jasprit Bumrah among others for the three-match ODI series against West Indies. After completing the white-ball series against England, team India will tour West Indies to play three ODIs followed by five-match T20Is. While, seniors have been rested from the 50-over format, in a bid to keep them fresh, recent reports have claimed that a full-strength squad will travel to the Caribbean nation for a five-match T20Is.
According to a source-based report, team management, head coach Rahul Dravid and skipper Rohit Sharma are of the opinion that all the possible combinations must be tested before finalising the final squad for the T20I World Cup in Australia, later this year. However, reports have also claimed that former Indian skipper Virat Kohli has requested a rest from the tour. "Virat Kohli is undoubtedly in the scheme of things for the ICC tournament, he is a part of the decision-making panel and his omission from the squad should not be viewed as an axe," claimed a highly placed source in a Cricbuzz report.
The report published in Cricbuzz further hinted that senior-off spinner R Ashwin can also be included in the squad as selectors don't want to leave any possible contender left behind. "Chetan Sharma, Chairman of the selection committee, skipper and head coach are all on the same page. R Ashwin is a tested player and was part of the last year's T20 World Cup in the UAE," claimed a source-based report.
It further informed that although Ashwin could not get many chances in the marquee tournament for various reasons, but ever since Dravid and Rohit Sharma have been appointed at the top of the helm, Ashwin has been assured that his experience and expertise will provide an edge to the squad, and he is surely among names which are in the scheme of things for the ICC tournament," claimed Cricbuzz report.