ICC T20 World Cup: India Squad NZ Series: Once the T20 World Cup ends, Dinesh Karthik and Ravichandran Ashwin will end their T20I career as well. The message from selectors is clear. Both Karthik and Ashwin, who have been a stop-gap solution for Team India, will not be considered in T20s anymore. While both have been dropped for the NewZealand tour, Selection Committee chairman Chetan Sharma said it was due to workload management. But InsideSport understands that, the T20 WC will be their last in T20Is as India begin preparation for T20 World Cup 2024. Follow ICC T20 World Cup 2022 LIVE Updates on InsideSport.IN.
“It’s a cycle. Both Ashwin and Karthik have been excellent for India. But we have to move on. Karthik and Ashwin are not getting any younger and we have to keep the 2024 WC in mind. There are a lot of youngsters coming up through the IPL and domestic cricket and we have to reward them as well. Ashwin will continue to play crucial role in Test. For Karthik since he plays just one format, it’s little difficult to continue with him,” a senior BCCI official told InsideSport.
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ICC T20 World Cup: BCCI sets transition plan for Dinesh Karthik, R Ashwin, BCCI official confirms, Veteran duo ‘Not in plans for T20s after WC’
While Chetan Sharma did not want to disclose the transition plan, his statement revealed more than what was needed. He said Karthik was rested for workload management. However, Dinesh Karthik has played just 27 matches facing 198 balls. He did not mention why he would need rest.
“The World Cup is going to finish in some days and so we need to decide whom to rest or not. Karthik has been performing and he is available to us. But this time we just thought of trying a different set of players after the World Cup,” Chairman of selectors Sharma told reporters in a virtual interaction on Monday.
PTI reported that Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson and Hardik Pandya will be groomed as designated finishers. Shubman Gill’s entry could well mean that Rahul, not the best T20 opener going around, could be phased out of the shortest format in a systematic manner in near future. The new approach would require fresh faces with no apparent baggage.
ICC T20 World Cup: BCCI sets transition plan for Dinesh Karthik, R Ashwin, BCCI official confirms, Veteran duo ‘Not in plans for T20s after WC’
As for Ashwin, he was already informed that he was not in plans in T20s. However, it was Rohit Sharma, who insisted on Ashwin to be included in T20s. As a result, Ashwin made a sudden return in T20 World Cup last year. While he was once again dropped for 8 months, he returned ahead of Asia Cup. But this is going to be his last stop.
“Ashwin was a temporary solution since Washington has been struggling injuries. But in T20s, Washi will be preferred. We should also keep in mind that we have a World Cup next year at home and Ashwin has a role to play. He is 36 and we cannot ask him to play all three formats. T20s will have to give way,” the official said.
What happens to Kohli, Rohit?
With only one year left for the 50 over World Cup in India, both skipper Rohit and Kohli will be focusing on ODIs along with Test cricket. But that doesn’t mean they would leave T20Is. At least that’s not the indication that they have given.
“The selection committee has started this transition phase consciously as T20Is are not priority in the year 2023. ODIs are and so some players in certain slots could be tried out and seen if they are fitting in those slots. T20Is again become important in 2024 in World T20 year,” a BCCI source said.
ICC T20 World Cup: BCCI sets transition plan for Dinesh Karthik, R Ashwin, BCCI official confirms, Veteran duo ‘Not in plans for T20s after WC’
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