'Thought the team had moved on…': Ex-India cricketer criticizes Virat & Rohit's return

NEW DELHI: The recent announcement of

Virat Kohli

and

Rohit Sharma

's return to the

T20I format

for the upcoming three-match series against Afghanistan has stirred controversy, with former India cricketer Deep Dasgupta expressing concerns over the direction of the team selection.
While

Sourav Ganguly

and Sunil Gavaskar supported the comeback, Dasgupta labeled the move as "directionless" and reminiscent of the

2022 T20 World Cup

.

Having opted out of T20Is since India's semi-final exit in the 2022 World Cup, Kohli and Rohit's absence allowed for the emergence of young talents such as Tilak Varma,

Rinku Singh

, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Jitesh Sharma. India witnessed a transition phase, experimenting with new players and nurturing a younger squad.

However, the recall of Kohli and Rohit for the

Afghanistan series

has raised questions about the team's direction, especially considering the criticism faced by the senior players for their approach in the last T20 World Cup.
Dasgupta expressed surprise at the move, stating, "I thought the team had moved on from Rohit and Kohli."
Speaking to Star Sports, Dasgupta elaborated: “The main criticism was the lack of intent from the senior players in the last T20 World Cup. But then again, you need to keep in mind the kind of tracks you are expecting in the West Indies - are you expecting a 180 or 200-run wicket to 160-ish kind of tracks? To be very honest, I do not find any direction here for India in the last one year. If they had to go back to Kohli and Rohit...given the squads we had in the last one year, it is like going back to square one."

The former India wicketkeeper-batter highlighted the continuity of the middle-order batting order, indicating that the core of the team remains unchanged from the 2022 T20 World Cup semi-final against England.
Dasgupta also raised concerns about the impact on promising talents like Rinku Singh, who had showcased his abilities as a finisher in the T20 format.
With the return of Kohli, Rohit, and the expected inclusion of injured players like

Hardik Pandya

and Suryakumar Yadav, Dasgupta speculated that players like Rinku Singh might miss out on a spot in the playing XI.
Dasgupta questioned the direction of India's T20I squad selection, urging clarity and a strategic approach, especially with the T20 World Cup on the horizon.

(With inputs from agencies)