Former wicketkeeper-batter Deep Dasgupta expressed his surprise at the inclusion of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in India’s T20 setup for the Afghanistan series. However, Kohli and Rohit have not played a single T20I match for India since the side’s 10-wicket defeat in the 2022 World Cup semi-final against England as well.
Despite making themselves available for the T20 format again, there were questions on whether the duo should be in India’s plans for the T20 World Cup or not. But their selection for the Afghanistan series guarantees their participation in the upcoming mega event in June.
Speaking to Star Sports, Deep Dasgupta stated, “I was slightly surprised because I thought the team had moved on from Rohit and Kohli. 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.”
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However, Deep Dasgupta further added that the Indian playing XI would now resemble the side that faced a crushing defeat to England in the previous T20 World Cup as well. Meanwhile, apart from returning to the squad, Rohit Sharma was appointed as the captain for the three-match series against Afghanistan, starting on Thursday as well.
“If you look at the team India had against England (in 2022 T20 World Cup semifinal) and the one against Australia recently, Hardik, Jadeja and Bumrah and Siraj will be back, but the middle-order will remain the same. Kohli will play at No. 3, Surya at 4, Hardik at 5, Jitesh or Samson at 6, then Jadeja and the rest follow. So there won’t be any difference in that middle-order finisher role,” added Dasgupta.
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However, Deep Dasgupta feels that with the return of Rohit and Kohli, someone like Rinku Singh might have to miss being in the playing XI in the T20 World Cup. However, Rinku has made an amazing start to his international career, averaging 65.50 at a strike rate of 180.68 in 12 T20Is as well. On the other hand, Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya will return during the IPL and India may be spoilt for choices in the middle-order as well.
“Someone like Rinku Singh will miss out. You have to pick one between Jitesh and Samson. I am talking about the T20 World Cup going forward. Rinku and Yashasvi had both impressed a lot, especially the former, because he plays a very specific and unique role and there aren’t much competitors for that spot as well. You will get plenty of top-order batters, but there are rarely batters who can perform at No. 7 or 8. Rinku and Tilak might play against Afghanistan, but going forward, when Hardik and Surya will be available, I feel Rinku and Tilak will both miss out,” Deep Dasgupta concluded.
