New Delhi:
India skipper Virat Kohli could be rested from the three-match T20 series against Bangladesh, beginning here on November 3. Kohli has been playing almost non-stop, featuring in 48 of India’s 56 games since October last year. The squad for the Bangladesh series will be picked in Mumbai on October 24.
“There is a possibility that Virat could be rested keeping the workload management programme in mind. But the selectors will only speak to Virat once the Test match (against South Africa) ends,” a source close to the selection committee told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
“It will also depend on how the skipper himself feels. He knows his body the best and if need be he can himself ask the selectors for rest,” the source added. After the first T20 in Delhi, Rajkot and Nagpur will host the second and third game on November 7 and 10 respectively.
The two-match Test series, which will be part of the World Test Championship, begins in Indore from November 14. The second and final Test will be played in Kolkata from November 22. India will be hosting the West Indies in December for three T20s and as many ODIs.
Currently, Virat Kohli-led Team India is playing the third and last Test match against South Africa in Ranchi. South Africa had their tails up in the Ranchi Test after having dismissed Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara and more importantly, Virat Kohli cheaply.
For the first time in the series, the South Africa aggression came to the fore. Unfortunately for them, they could not sustain the advantage. Rohit Sharma, who had set the tone for India's dominance with twin centuries in Vizag, stole the show yet again with a blazing century and giving him company was Ajinkya Rahane.
The 185-run stand between the Mumbai duo helped India reach 224/3 against the Proteas before bad light and rain resulted in early stumps on day 1.
(With inputs from PTI)
