Team India will soon face the West Indies for a five-match T20I series. Former captain Virat Kohli will miss both the ODI and T20I matches, and Shikhar Dhawan will lead a second-string team in the visit.
On the other hand, Ravichandran Ashwin is expected to play another T20I in the series. It will be Ashwin's second appearance in a Twenty20 International, the first being during the Men's T20 World Cup last year in Ranchi against New Zealand.
Virat Kohli has been rested with several other senior players. According to a report. Kohli urged that the BCCI, the team management, and selectors not consider him for the West Indies series. Thus, he will not participate in the entire Caribbean trip. Although he is on the ODI squad to play England, he did not play in the first one because of a hamstring issue.
"The absence of Kohli cannot be construed as not being in the scheme of things as he is very much part of the decision makers' plans for the World Cup," the report said.
"He is believed to have requested the selectors, team management and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to not consider him for the West Indies series. It will be a case of rest rather than an axe."
According to Cricbuzz, Ashwin is on the line of earning a T20I recall. Since January 2022, the senior off-spinner has been away from the white-ball squad. He made an unexpected comeback to the team for the 2021 T20 World Cup and then featured in the home T20I series against New Zealand.
Ashwin was also enlisted for an ODI and toured South Africa. However, he hasn't played a white-ball game since. It is still unclear who makes room for Ashwin, who can also contribute with the bat. The right-handed batter demonstrated his batting abilities for the Rajasthan Royals in the 2022 T20.
T20I captain Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, and Hardik Pandya will return to the team as Kohli sits out the series. The trio has been given a break for one-day internationals. Despite the presence of Pandya, Bumrah, and Rishabh, it is not yet clear who will be Sharma's deputy for the series. The BCCI has yet to announce Sharma's substitute for the ongoing ODI series.
"The India T20 squad for the upcoming matches in the Caribbean will be in full force as all the senior players of the white-ball team with the possible exception of Virat Kohli, are expected to feature in the five-game series. Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya will be included in the squad expected to be announced after the third and final T20I against England on July 10," said the report.
Pandya led the Men in Blue against Ireland, while Rishabh led a second-string team against South Africa. Meanwhile, Bumrah led the Test squad in the one-off Test played earlier this month against England.
