‘Hoping to see Hitman lead the charge in 2024 WC’ – Fans react as Indian selectors and management to hold talks with Rohit Sharma over his future in T20Is

The Indian Cricket Board and selectors are set to hold talks with current all-format captain Rohit Sharma about his future in T20Is. As Team India aims to restructure itself after the 2023 World Cup, there is uncertainty over the participation of senior players including Rohit and Virat Kohli in white-ball cricket. According to the latest reports, Rohit’s future in T20I cricket will be known when the Indian squad for the upcoming tour of South Africa is picked on Thursday.

The Men in Blue are scheduled to leave for South Africa on December 6 for three T20Is, three ODIs and two Test matches. After India’s semi-final exit in the 2022 T20 World Cup, the board formed a squad with youngsters and did not consider senior players in the shorter format. At the same time, there were reports that the decision to exclude them from the 20-over format was in view of the 2023 ODI World Cup.

Earlier, Rohit had expressed his desire to step back from T20Is. However, it has now emerged that the management will be happy if the 36-year-old decides to extend his T20I career till the 2024 T20 World Cup. Hardik Pandya, who led the team in Rohit’s absence, has been getting injured frequently, which has worried the selectors. His recovery from an ankle injury sustained during the 2023 World Cup is taking longer than expected.

Hardik Pandya’s frequent injuries have worried the selectors

Notably, Pandya was not included in the ongoing five-match T20I series against Australia. The star all-rounder is likely to be fit only in time for the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL). This means that if he becomes India’s permanent T20 captain, he will directly lead the team in the upcoming major international tournament.

With Pandya’s recovery uncertain, Rohit would be the best captaincy option for the management considering how the veteran opener led the side in the recently concluded ODI World Cup. Meanwhile, Kohli has reportedly taken an indefinite break from white-ball cricket and will next play in the upcoming Test series against South Africa. It remains to be seen what the future holds for Rohit and Kohli in limited-overs cricket, especially in the 20-over format.

Here’s how fans reacted: