"They will be itching to play" - Dinesh Karthik on Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul's return for Bangladesh series
Dinesh Karthik has stated that skipper Rohit Sharma and senior batters Virat Kohli and KL Rahul will be raring to go for India's upcoming ODI series against Bangladesh. The Men in Blue will play three ODIs against the Bangla Tigers, starting in Dhaka on Sunday, December 4.
The veteran wicketkeeper mentioned that the three Team India stars would be delighted to return to action after a short break following the T20 World Cup in Australia.
Karthik highlighted that getting some much-needed game time will be crucial for Sharma, Kohli, and Rahul. Speaking to Cricbuzz, he explained:
"Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and KL Rahul will also be playing the Test matches soon after, which have a lot of relevance as well. Game time is going to be important. They have got a break for at least three weeks after the T20 World Cup and knowing them, they will be itching to play."
He added:
"The one thing that happens when you're with an Indian player is that sometimes when you don't play for a couple of weeks, it feels like you haven't played for a year. That's how much cricket we play. They know that this is a good series."
India’s updated ODI squad against Bangladesh 🏏🇮🇳
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The three senior batters were rested from India's recently concluded tour of New Zealand. They will feature in three ODIs against Bangladesh, as well as the ensuing two-match Test series.
The opening encounter of the 50-over series is set to be played at the Shere Bangla Stadium in Dhaka on Sunday, December 4. The second and third games of the rubber will take place on December 7 and 10, respectively.
"Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan are non-negotiable" - Dinesh Karthik on India's playing XI for 1st ODI
Karthik emphasized that Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan should open the innings for the Men in Blue in the ODI series in Bangladesh.
Apart from the two opening batters, he mentioned that Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer are also a certainty in the team's playing XI. He added:
"A few players stand out to me who are going to be a part of the playing XI. For me, Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan are non-negotiable, they will open. Virat Kohli will be at three. Four, Shreyas Iyer, just the magnitude of performances in ODI cricket in the recent past."
Snapshots from #TeamIndia's first training session in Bangladesh ahead of the three-match ODI series.
#BANvIND
📸 - BCB https://t.co/AXncaYWeup
Notably, Rahul will have to be slotted somewhere in the middle order in that case. Dhawan was the stand-in captain for India in the recently concluded three-match ODI series against New Zealand.
The seasoned campaigner enjoyed moderate success, mustering 103 runs at an average of 34.44. The southpaw was exceptional in the opening encounter, making a significant impact with his 72-run knock.