INDIAN cricket is witnessing a transition ever since the national team lost in the final of the 50-over World Cup against Australia in Ahmedabad last month after winning all their games. The Asian side picked different captains for the three formats for the upcoming tour of South Africa after a young side led by Suryakumar Yadav defeated Australia in a T20 series at home 4-1.
With churning underway over formation of the nucleus of a new-generation team, officials of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently held a marathon meeting with India captain Rohit Sharma, head coach Rahul Dravid and the selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar related to various issues pertaining to the country's cricket.
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While the meeting reviewed India's near perfect campaign at the just concluded World Cup at home, the BCCI top brass also sought to know the roadmap for Team India going ahead, especially keeping in mind the T20 World Cup which is less than six months away. The squads for all formats for the tour of South Africa beginning December 10 were also picked.
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Sharma, who joined the meeting via a Zoom call since he was in London, holidaying with his family after a gruelling few months of non-stop cricket, reportedly told the board and selectors that if they wanted him to be a part of the India squad for the T20 World Cup to be held in the West Indies and the USA, they should let him know about their plans straight away, Hindi daily Dainik Jagran reported, citing an official who was present at the meeting.
The officials present on the occasion agreed unanimously that the 36-year-old ace batter is the right man to lead the team in the next T20 World Cup, the report said, adding that the selectors wanted Sharma to take up the T20 side's leadership mantle from the South Africa tour itself but the opening batter requested a break from both white-ball series against the Proteas.
The selectors then decided to persist with Yadav as the skipper for the three-match T20 series against South Africa. KL Rahul will lead the team in a three-match one-day international series. Sharma was picked as the captain for the two-Test series.
Sharma led India to the knock-outs of tournaments across all formats but failed to win the trophy on any occasion.
Another veteran batter, Virat Kohli, who completed his record 50th international hundred in the 50-over format during the World Cup, will also be absent in the white-ball series against South Africa.
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