Virat Kohli, the highest run getter at the recent WC, will not be available for selection for the white-ball games during India’s tour of South Africa, which begins with a T20 International on December 10 in Durban.
Virat Kohli is unlikely to play any part in the white-ball leg of India’s tour of South Africa while there is still no clarity on captain Rohit Sharma.
Kohli had a superb World Cup at home where he amassed 765 runs in 11 innings, including three hundreds. He was also adjudged as player of the tournament.
Virat Kohli has reportedly informed the BCCI that he would not be available for selection in white-ball matches for an indefinite period. This effectively rules him out of the white-ball leg of India’s upcoming tour to South Africa and the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan in January.
Virat Kohli taking indefinite break from white ball cricket
“He (Kohli) has informed the BCCI and selectors that he needs a break from white-ball cricket and he will get back to them about when he wants to play white-ball cricket next. At the moment he has informed the BCCI that he will be playing red-ball cricket, which means he is available for selection for the two Test matches in South Africa,” the source said
It has also been learned that skipper Rohit Sharma is yet to confirm what he intends to be a part of the ODI assignment against South Africa. He is expected to give the T20I series in the Rainbow Nation a miss.
On the other hand, there is no clarity on India captain Rohit’s availability for the white-ball leg of the South Africa tour. Both Rohit and Kohli have not played T20 cricket since the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia but with the World Cup lined up for June next year, there were talks if both of them would want to return to have one final crack at winning an ICC trophy. Besides, after the kind of performance Rohit put in with the bat in the World Cup and the leadership skills he possesses, it is only fair to ask him to lead India’s charge at the T20 World Cup, especially considering the fact that it is only six months away.
But as things stand now, it seems unlikely that Rohit and Kohli will feature in T20Is anymore. In fact, their future in ODIs also looks bleak. India, anyway, don’t have much white-ball action lined up till the T20 World Cup.
The national selection committee headed by former India allrounder Ajit Agarkar will select the Indian team for all three formats in the coming days.
They are slated to play three T20Is starting in South Africa followed by as many ODIs and then a two-match Test series. Rohit and Kohli are more or less certain to don the whites in those two matches. Their next white-ball assignment is a three-match home T20I series against Afghanistan. Then there is nothing. England will tour India for five Tests, followed by the IPL and then the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and USA.
Virat is said to be on a holiday in London at present. Rohit too is reportedly in the United Kingdom, spending time away from the game after India’s heartbreaking defeat to Australa in the World Cup final.
Both Kohli and Rohit were in sublime form in the ODI World Cup, with the former ending the tournament as the top run-getter. When and under what capacity do the duo aim to return to the white-ball team, isn’t yet clear
The first Test begins on Boxing Day at Centurion, and the second Test is at Cape Town.