The three-match ODI series against Afghanistan might see the rest of India’s top players, including captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and pacers Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj, according to news agency PTI. Despite rumours to the contrary, the mini-series, which was announced by board secretary Jay Shah last month, is expected to go forward. This is because of India’s tight timeline. Hardik Pandya will likely skipper a second-string team that the selectors will designate.
The series’ dates have not yet been set, however they are most likely to fall between India’s tour to the West Indies and the WTC final in the third and fourth week of the following month. The board has decided to give people like Rohit, Kohli, and Shami a break because to their heavy workloads.
Most of the best cricketers from India participate in the IPL, a two-month competition, and several of them will play in the World T20 final versus Australia at The Oval starting on June 7. A full-strength Indian team is scheduled to go to the West Indies for a full-fledged three-format trip in July. From July 12 to August 13, they will compete against the West Indies in two Tests, three ODIs, and five T20Is. Then, the squad is anticipated to play a three-match T20I series in Ireland.
Thus, include players like Rohit and Kohli in the Afghanistan series is almost unfeasible. IPL players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, and Ruturaj Gaikwad may benefit from this.
The president of the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), Mirwais Ashraf, is in India for the IPL final, and while an ACC meeting is scheduled, the India and Afghanistan cricket boards may also finalise the specifics of their proposed white-ball series.
According to the report, Rohit, Kohli, and even Hardik Pandya would miss the Ireland series in order to rest up for the Asia Cup.
The IPL final will be followed by a meeting of the ACC board members to decide the fate of the Asia Cup 2023, which implies that the Indian players’ workload will only rise given that the crucial 50-over World Cup is scheduled for October–November.
If confirmed, the Asia Cup 2023 is anticipated to be played in September, making it difficult for the Indian players to find time to rest and recover. A busy schedule has already seen major injuries to important players like Jasprit Bumrah and Shreyas Iyer, who have no set timeline for a comeback. India will also play a three-match ODI series against Australia in September, their second such series this year, to complete their World Cup preparations.
According to “Cricbuzz,” the BCCI is having trouble scheduling the Afghanistan series, which is planned to consist of three ODIs, due to the time limitation as well as the fact that the broadcast agreement with Disney Star has expired and a new tender has not yet been released. However, a senior BCCI official named Jay Shah had previously said at a media engagement in Mumbai that the BCCI media rights tender will take place on schedule this year (June–July) and would be influenced by the Afghanistan trip, but that it was more likely to begin with the Australia series. The Board will consult with all parties involved before making a temporary decision.
