After winning the historic T20 World Cup 2024, senior players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are taking a well-deserved break. Both have retired from T20I cricket but are still likely to be part of the ODI squad. With India set to play against Sri Lanka in an ODI and T20I series, reports indicate that Rohit and Kohli will not be participating, as the Indian board wants them to rest before the home season.
The question now is, who will lead the team? According to a PTI report, the captain for the series will likely be either Hardik Pandya or KL Rahul.
“Both are automatic choices for the ODI setup, and the three 50-over games against England before the Champions Trophy will provide good practice for them. For the next few months, they will prioritize Tests, with India scheduled to play 10 Test matches between September and January,” a BCCI source told PTI.
“The Champions Trophy will take place in mid-February, and they don’t need to play the week-long three-match ODIs in Sri Lanka. If they want to join, they are welcome, but I guess they would prefer to rest,” the source added.
After India’s T20 World Cup 2024 win, BCCI Secretary Jay Shah announced a prize money of Rs 125 crore for the players and support staff.
Reports also suggest that Jay Shah wants to bring some changes to the ICC’s functioning, especially after recent controversies surrounding the organization of the T20 World Cup 2024 in the USA and West Indies.