"Can be considered if they do well in the IPL - Saba Karim on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's T20I future
Former keeper-batter Saba Karim believes that the selectors should not pick senior batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in India's T20I squad for the upcoming home series against New Zealand.
Karim opined that both Sharma and Kohli could return to the T20I team in the future if they showcase tremendous form during this year's Indian Premier League (IPL).
He cited the example of Dinesh Karthik, who was able to do the same with his batting exploits for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the previous edition.
"There is a chance that Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will have a fantastic IPL season, he said during a discussion on India News Sports. "If that happens, the selectors will not be able to look beyond them.
"The same happened in Dinesh Karthik's case last year. However, I feel there is no need to pick them currently. Yes, they can be considered if they do well in the IPL."
Notably, Sharma and Kohli were not part of India's squad for their recently concluded three-match home T20I series against Sri Lanka. Kohli may have been rested after the Test series against Bangladesh, while Sharma missed out as he was recovering from an injured thumb.
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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) did not state the reason behind the absence of the two star players while announcing the squad.
The two proven campaigners, however, will return to action in the upcoming three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka.
"Wouldn't be right to say that they have failed miserably" - Reetinder Sodhi on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's T20I form
During the aforementioned discussion, former all-rounder Reetinder Sodhi stated that it would not be fair to drop the likes of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from the T20I team.
He pointed out that Kohli has performed exceptionally well in recent outings, including the T20 World Cup, and Sharma has also been fairly decent. Sodhi also claimed that it is necessary to have senior players in the lineup alongside youngsters.
"Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have not performed terribly," the 42-year-old said. "Kohli has just hit form. While Rohit hasn't been consistent, he has done well in patches. But it wouldn't be right to say that they have failed miserably. Yes, Ishan Kishan and Rahul Tripathi are great batters, but having experience is equally important."
Rohit Sharma will lead the Men in Blue in the ODI series against Sri Lanka. The opening encounter is set to be played in Guwahati on Tuesday, January 10.