New Delhi: Indian cricket team selectors on Monday announced squads for upcoming T20 and Test series against Sri Lanka. Rohit Sharma replacing Virat Kohli as India’s Test skipper and struggling batters Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane getting dropped from Test squad were the major announcements made by Chairman of All-India Senior-Selection Committee, Chetan Sharma, on Saturday.
After Rohit Sharma was named Test captain for upcoming series against Sri Lanka, selection committee chairman Chetan Sharma said the right-handed senior opener is the number one cricketer in India.
“As far as Rohit Sharma is concerned, he is the number one cricketer of our country, he is playing all three formats of the game. The important thing is how we manage Rohit, cricketers manage their bodies. From time to time we will be in discussion with Rohit. If such a big cricketer is leading the country, we as a selection committee want to groom further captains, and grooming them under Rohit will be tremendous,” said Chetan Sharma during a virtual press conference.
“It is hard to predict what problems can arise in the future, Rohit is fit and fine right now. We will give rest to every cricketer of ours, we want to give them proper rest. A body requires rest, we will see how things pan out and we will decide how will be getting the rest,” he added.
️🗣️ “We will groom future captains under him.”
The Chairman of the All-India Senior Selection Committee, Mr. Chetan Sharma, spoke about @ImRo45 being named the #TeamIndia Test Captain. pic.twitter.com/SPaJvFMVEO
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 19, 2022
Further talking about Rohit being named Test captain, Chetan said: “Rohit was a clear choice of ours, we are very happy with naming him as captain. We will groom future captains under him, let’s hope everything goes right and if things pan out how we want them to, it will be really good.”
“If Rohit keeps leading for a long time, then it would be really good for us. But no one can predict it, as long as Rohit is available and fit, he will be the Test captain. When he wants to rest, we will give him the rest,” he added.
India’s Test squad for SL series: Rohit Sharma (C), Mayank Agarwal, Priyank Panchal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas, Hanuma Vihari, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, KS Bharat, Ravichandran Ashwin (fitness), Ravindra Jadeja, Jayant Yadav, Kuldeep, Jasprit Bumrah, Shami, Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Sourabh Kumar.
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