The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently announced that Rohit Sharma will miss the three-match Test series in South Africa, due to a left hamstring injury sustained during a training session in Mumbai. Sharma is expected to be back to lead the Indian ODI team in what will be his first assignment as full-time ODI skipper.
The three-match ODI series starts on January 19 at Boland Park, Paarl.
The BCCI also announced that opening batter Priyank Panchal, who was part of the India A tour to the country earlier this month and has had some blistering knocks in domestic cricket, would be replacing Sharma at the top of the order.
‘Priyank Panchal replaces injured Rohit Sharma in India’s Test squad. Rohit sustained a left hamstring injury during his training session here in Mumbai yesterday. He has been ruled out of the upcoming 3-match Test series against South Africa,’ tweeted the BCCI.
Rumours of a rift go back a few years when India exited the 2019 World Cup, and only seem to have gotten stronger with the recent T20 World Cup exit and Kohli giving up the T20 captaincy to Sharma. Former cricketers are also speculating about the state of the Indian dressing room.
When the squad for the Test series in South Africa was named. Ajinkya Rahane was sacked as Test vice-captain and Rohit Sharma was named Kohli’s new deputy in the longer-format of the game.
However, within a few minutes, the BCCI tweeted to say Rohit Sharma has been named captain of India’s ODI and T20I sides going forward, while Kohli had asserted his wish to stay on as ODI skipper.
The recent flurry of developments is what has led to former cricketers and experts alike that the leadership in the Indian team may not be as cohesive as one presumes.
However, the BCCI has put all the rumours to bed around Virat Kohlis inclusion in the Indian ODI cricket team squad, stating that the Captain has not put any formal request for a break, as of now, and is slated to be part of the ODI squad.