IND vs BAN: Chetan Sharma Opines On Virat Kohli And Rohit Sharma's Future For The 2024 T20 World Cup

Chetan Sharma, the head selector for India, stated on Monday, October 31, that he has not discussed the future of senior players in T20 International cricket with Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and R Ashwin after the T20 World Cup in 2022, adding that the selectors are always willing to choose players with experience as long as they are producing consistently. 

The current T20 World Cup in Australia features players like Rohit and Kohli, but the next tournament will take place in the USA and the West Indies in 2024. 

While Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli haven’t shown any symptoms of slowing down, it’s unclear how India would approach the 2024 T20 World Cup’s shortest format of the game. While Kohli, 33, recently ended a dry spell to regain form for the World Cup in Australia, Rohit, 35, is now leading India in all formats of the game. 

Players Themselves Will Come And Talk To Us If They Have Concerns: Chetan Sharma

Chetan Sharma told the media in a virtual press conference on Monday that the players themselves should approach the management and selectors if they have any concerns about their futures and that he wouldn’t discuss anything during the T20 World Cup.

This was in response to the announcement of India’s squads for the upcoming tours to New Zealand and Bangladesh. 

“In the middle of the tournament, how do you expect the chairman of selectors to speak to somebody? I shouldn’t be speaking to anyone (about their future) in the middle of the tournament. They are such big players, if they are getting to understand something, they themselves will come and talk to us,” Sharma said. 

“The players you mentioned, if they are part of the team, the youngsters will get to learn a lot from them. I can see how the youngsters are getting to learn and train from these big players. They ask the likes of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma how to handle certain situations, how to prepare. 

“So, in the middle of the tournament, I can’t talk to them about these things,” he added. 

Age Is Just A Number If You Are Competing: Chetan Sharma

Any selection committee, according to Chetan Sharma, would adore having players with experience in the team, particularly in the T20I format.

“The doors of cricket will never be closed to anyone. Age is just a number if you are competing. If you are good enough to perform and get runs, selectors are more than happy to pick experienced players,” he added. 

Starting on November 18, India’s T20I series against New Zealand will be captained by Hardik Pandya. Rishabh Pant has been selected as Hardik’s backup while Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and KL Rahul have been rested. 

Dinesh Karthik will still be taken into consideration for selection in T20 International matches even after the T20 World Cup, according to Chetan Sharma. Even though India nominated three wicketkeepers, including Pant, Ishan Kishan, and Sanju Samson, the seasoned wicketkeeper was not included in the T20I team for the New Zealand tour. 

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