IND vs AFG: Virat Kohli will miss the first T20I series against Afghanistan in Mohali on Friday. India Coach Rahul Dravid confirmed the development on the eve of the match that Kohli will miss the Mohali T20I due to personal reasons. He would be back for the second and third games of the series in Indore and Bengaluru.
“Virat Kohli will miss the first game due to personal reasons,” Dravid said. “He will be playing from the second and third T20I.”
The three-match T20I series against Afghanistan will mark the return of Kohli & Rohit to the T20I format for the first time since the T20 World Cup 2022 semi-finals. Both the players took a break from the format in this period to focus on the ODI & Test format with the WTC 2021-2023 final & ODI World Cup 2023 fixture in the picture.
What Rahul Dravid said on the eve of IND vs AFG 1st T20I
In discussing the recent abundance of ICC events in the past two to three years, Dravid highlighted the challenge of consecutive tournaments, leaving minimal gaps in between. Throughout the last couple of years, there has been a necessity to prioritize specific formats and tournaments due to the sheer volume of cricket being played. Managing players in such a scenario becomes a complex task, making it impractical for everyone to be consistently on the field.
The team has consistently faced prioritization decisions, especially concerning players involved in all three formats. Even in the ongoing series, notable names like Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja, and Mohammed Siraj have been excluded, with an eye on the upcoming five Test matches against England. Thus, the team has been engaged in a constant balancing act over the past two years.
Afghanistan T20I series is India’s last T20I series before the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA in June and represents the last chance outside the IPL – which is scheduled to run from March 29 to May 26 – for players to stake their claim for the tournament. While the inclusion of Rohit & Kohli in the T20I format depicts that the management is considering them for the T20 World Cup 2024. They will compete with several young batters who have come into the India side over recent months and shown immense ability.
In reflecting on the past year and the period following the last T20 World Cup, Dravid emphasized the team’s focus on prioritizing the one-day World Cup. The T20 format, in contrast, has seen limited action for the team since the one-day World Cup.
What Rahul Dravid said about the T20 World Cup 2024 Preps?
He further said that this T20 World Cup presents a unique challenge as there hasn’t been ample time for preparation. The team must rely on their existing cricketing skills and draw some input from their experiences in the IPL. Despite potential limitations in opportunities to play together, given the packed schedule, the players are set to engage in T20 cricket through their participation in this tournament and the IPL.
The situation demands adaptability and flexibility since the team may not have the luxury of extensive game time together, unlike the thorough preparation leading up to the one-day World Cup. This time around, the focus is on adapting to the circumstances and making the most of the available resources, Dravid concluded.
Rahul Dravid also confirmed that Yashasvi Jaiswal would open along with Rohit in Mohali. With Kohli absent, India could move Shubman Gill – who usually opens the batting – to No. 3, or slot either Sanju Samson or Tilak Varma in that position. The entire top six will change with the regular players Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya also unavailable for the series
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