Ishan Kishan and Ruturaj Gaikwad will be expected to open the Indian innings against Ireland as well as they had a decent outing in the home T20Is against South Africa. However, despite the performance, they won’t find a place in the XI when regular captain Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul will be returning to the T20I squad and Ruturaj might not even make it to the squad as it will see the return of Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav.
Once a feared top three, renowned to win T20 matches at will, Rohit, Rahul, and Virat have rarely played together since last year’s T20 World Cup. While Rahul witnessed a brilliant run for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), in the IPL 2022, two pillars of India’s limited-overs batting unit – Rohit and Kohli had witnessed their worst season in 2022.
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When asked whether these three are still indispensable in India’s T20I side, former India wicket-keeper batter Saba Karim said the selectors should not shy away from having a tough conversation. During a recent chat with Hindustan Times, Saba Karim said, “A tough call for the selectors. At this stage, I’m sure all three of them (Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul) will walk into the XI.”
Karim said Rohit, Kohli, and Rahul have enough experience to change their approach and bat at a better strike rate in T20Is.
Saba Karim explained, “If such criticism is being leveled at them, it is up to them to find a solution so that they emerge in a much better manner. And if it’s not happening then the team management or selectors need to have hard conversations with the individuals involved because there is stiff competition coming through. The players whom you have named enough experience to make the required changes in their batting so that it is beneficial for the national side.”
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Rohit and Virat are currently in England gearing up for the Birmingham Test while Rahul is nursing a groin injury that has ruled him out of the series.
