'You need players who can...' - Former India selector's big statement about Rohit-Kohli duo's possibility in T20 World Cup 2024 squad

A lot of debates and discussions have started yet again after the inclusion of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the T20I squad of India. The star duo will be in action for the men in blue in the upcoming three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, starting on Thursday, January 11, 2024.

Senior men’s selection committee of the Indian Cricket Board picked the squad of India for the home T20I assignment against Afghanistan; the announcement also attracted a lot of eyeballs among cricket fans and experts as it marked the comeback of the veteran duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the shortest format of the game.

Following that, a debate has also started about the possibilities of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s appearance in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024, which is set to be held in the USA later this year in June.

In the same line of events, former India selector Sarandeep Singh came up with a big statement while speaking about the inclusion of the Rohit-Kohli duo in the T20I squad of India. Both the senior players will be making their T20I comeback after a long wait of 14 months since they played their last T20I against England in the semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2024.

“It is the right call. In major international events, you need players who can handle pressure well. They both were great in the ODI World Cup and are in top form. However, this development means it would be very difficult to accommodate Jaiswal and Ruturaj,” said Sarandeep Singh to PTI.

You have to prepare bench strength also – Sarandeep Singh about the long-time absence of the Rohit-Kohli duo from T20Is 

Furthermore, Singh also spoke about the absence of Rohit and Kohli from the T20Is for the last 14 months and giving a chance to youngsters like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill, alongside the likes of Ruturaj Gaikwad and other young cricketers.

“You have to prepare bench strength also. In all probability this will be their last T20 World Cup. If Rohit and Virat were not rested, you could not have tried the likes of Jaiswal, Ruturaj, Jitesh (Sharma) and others,” Singh said.

“Having said that, these two greats don't need to play the shortest format to make a comeback. Eventually, the performance of all the World Cup probables in the IPL will make the picture clearer for the subsequent World Cup,” he added later.