Sourav Ganguly, the former captain of the Indian cricket team, has come out in defense of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, stating that both players should be part of the Indian T20I squad. Ganguly believes that their inclusion in the team is essential due to their potential contributions in the shortest format of the game.
Ganguly pointed to Kohli’s exceptional performance in the IPL 2023, where he scored over 600 runs for the first time since 2016. Kohli finished the season with an impressive 639 runs in 14 games, making him the fourth-highest run-scorer in the tournament.
Despite being rested for most of the T20I matches this year to manage their workload, Ganguly disagrees with the decision to drop Kohli and Rohit from the upcoming series against West Indies. He stated, Pick your best players, it doesn’t matter who they are. In my opinion, both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma still have a place in T20I cricket, and I cannot see why a Kohli or a Rohit cannot play T20I cricket.
While Rohit has been rested for the West Indies series, Hardik Pandya has taken on the leadership role for the Indian team. Ganguly assured fans disappointed with the exclusion of certain players that they need to keep performing and their time will come. He acknowledged that due to the limited number of spots in the squad, some prominent names will inevitably miss out.
The West Indies tour will kick off with a two-match Test series starting on July 12, followed by a 3-match ODI series. The T20I leg of the tour is scheduled to begin on August 3.
In conclusion, Sourav Ganguly’s defense of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s place in the Indian T20I team brings attention to their exceptional performances and emphasizes their importance in the shortest format of the game. While the BCCI’s decision to drop them from the upcoming series against West Indies has sparked controversy, Ganguly believes that both players still have a lot to offer in T20 cricket. The inclusion and exclusion of players in the squad were also addressed, with Ganguly reassuring those left out that their time will come. The West Indies tour promises an exciting showcase of cricket, with Test, ODI, and T20I matches scheduled over the next few weeks.
