BCCI's succession plan: What's next for Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli?
The narrative of Team India's future course of action in T20Is continues to grow. Several speculations regarding marquee players - Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and Rohit Sharma among others - have been doing rounds in the aftermath of India's exit from the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup. A fresh PTI report suggests that the senior players will concentrate on ODIs and Tests next year.
Why does this story matter?
According to recent reports, the BCCI could meet with skipper Rohit, senior batter Kohli, and head coach Rahul Dravid to discuss their plans for the shortest format. It is understood that the cricket board has its eyes on the upcoming T20 World Cup scheduled in 2024. Meanwhile, a specialist T20I coach could replace Dravid, who is presently in charge across formats.
BCCI never asks anyone to retire: BCCI source
"The BCCI never asks anyone to retire. It's an individual decision. But yes, with just a handful of T20Is scheduled in 2023, most of the seniors will concentrate on ODIs and Test matches in that cycle," the BCCI source told PTI. "You don't need to announce retirement if you don't want to. You will not see most of the seniors playing T20 next year."
BCCI has been trying fresh faces
India reached the semi-final of the recently-concluded ICC T20 World Cup 2022. However, eventual champions England thrashed them. With the next T20 WC taking place in June 2024, many reckon the selectors should give youngsters a go. The approach can be seen in India's ongoing white-ball leg in New Zealand. Hardik Pandya led in T20Is, while Shikhar Dhawan is at the helm in ODIs.
Should Hardik be India's full-time T20I skipper?
Hardik led a bunch of fresh Indian faces in the three-match T20I series against New Zealand. With the next T20 World Cup taking place in June 2024, many reckon the selectors should explore other leadership options. Rohit, who has not been at his best lately, will turn 36 in April next year. Hardik has been in sublime form lately.
Hardik has jumped in the pecking order
It must be noted that Rishabh Pant was named India's captain for the five-match home T20I series against South Africa in June this year. Several first-choice Indian players missed that series. Hardik was named Pant's deputy back then. However, the roles have been interchanged for the ongoing NZ series. The same denotes that Hardik has leaped in the pecking order.
What about head coach Dravid?
Like Rohit and other senior players, head coach Dravid took a break after the T20 World Cup. VVS Laxman, the incumbent director of the National Cricket Academy (NCA), replaced Dravid as head coach for the tour. The former has shared the workload with Dravid across several series, including the 2022 Asia Cup. It remains to be seen if the BCCI embraces split coaching.
