RevSportz Comment
Less than a fortnight after the heartbreak of the World Cup final in Ahmedabad, what conclusions are we to draw from the squads India have chosen for the tour of South Africa? Do they reflect long-term planning or short-term reality, or a mix of both? Does the absence of both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from the T20I squad mean neither is part of the plan for the T20 World Cup in the USA and the Caribbean in June 2024? And is it now time to draw a line under the distinguished Test careers of Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane?
The absence of those two stalwarts suggests a very different direction and approach for India’s Test cricket. With Rohit and Yashasvi Jaiswal likely to open, the inexperienced faces in the middle order are going to be Shubman Gill, who has played mostly at the top, and Ruturaj Gaikwad. Shreyas Iyer too has played just 10 Tests. This trio operate very differently to Pujara and Rahane. Instead of a dour, stonewalling approach, there are likely to be plenty of shots played. Whether they will come off on spicy South African pitches against a highly skilled seam attack is another matter.
The injury cloud over Mohammed Shami is a real worry, given how well he bowls in helpful conditions. Jasprit Bumrah returns, however, having last played a Test in July 2022. If Shami does miss part of the series, the beneficiary could be Prasidh Krishna, whose hit-the-deck method could be more than useful in the highveld.
In the ODI squad, only KL Rahul, who will lead, and Kuldeep Yadav remain from the 15 that made the World Cup final. With the next World Cup, also in Southern Africa, four years away, the accent is very much on looking to the future. Sai Sudharsan, Rinku Singh and Rajat Patidar are among those rewarded for their consistency on the domestic circuit, while Sanju Samson gets one more opportunity to nail down a place. Rahul and Shreyas add experience to the batting corps, while Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep, Axar Patel and Deepak Chahar will be expected to guide the newer faces in Mukesh Kumar, Arshdeep Singh and Avesh Khan.
With the T20 World Cup just seven months away, the decision to rest both Rohit and Kohli at their request is a most intriguing one. Neither has played the format for India since the semi-final defeat to England at the T20 World Cup in Australia in November 2022. For now, despite talk of one or both being parachuted into that World Cup squad, the focus will be very much on the gung-ho generation led by Suryakumar Yadav. The likes of Jaiswal and Rinku have made superb starts to their careers, as has Ravi Bishnoi with the ball. South Africa, however, will provide a stern test, both in terms of the quality of their attack and the pitches they’re likely to encounter.
It may be winter in most parts of northern India, but all in all, these squads hark to spring and new beginnings. Some of the changes are merely temporary, a function of fatigue and scheduling, but others speak of a page turned. For Pujara and Rahane, both of whom enjoyed great moments on South African soil, the last words may well have been written as far as international cricket is concerned.