Picture Credit: Twitter
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Wednesday announced a 16-member squad for the three-match ODI series against West Indies slated to be played after the limited-overs series against England. The All India Selection Committee decided to rest the senior players and gave a chance to younger players in the squad. Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, and Rishabh Pant were the names that have been rested.
Virat Kohli’s name was also missing from the list as he is also believed to be rested. The BCCI named Shikhar Dhawan as the captain of the side while Ravindra Jadeja has been named Dhawan’s deputy. Deepak Hooda, Sanju Samson, Avesh Khan, Ishan Kishan, and a few others who played the two-match T20I series against Ireland retained their places.
With the squad announced, reactions from fans and former cricketers started pouring out on social media platforms. While some looked satisfied with the BCCI Selection Committee's decision, some looked a bit unhappy. Former India all-rounder was surely among the unhappy ones as he posted a cryptic tweet right after the squad announcement.
While it was not clear at whom the tweet was directed, one thing everyone knew was that it was in regard to Virat Kohli being rested. “No one comes back to form while resting…,” wrote Irfan Pathan on Twitter.
The former India cricketer looked not-so-peased with the decision to rest Virat Kohli who has been going through a lean patch for quite some time now. While many have talked about Kohli getting rest to overcome this narrow phase, Pathan wants the batter to regain his form by spending time on the ground.
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar had also batted for Kohli playing rather than resting. “As long as the break doesn’t mean he is missing India matches. India matches should be No. 1 priority. It’s as simple as that. I think the thing is that if you don’t play, how do you get your form back? Sitting in the change room, it’s not going to get your form back. The more you play, the more chances you have getting your form back,” Gavaskar had said.