Rohit Sharma not picked for SA ODIs keeping in mind upcoming series, T20 WC: Chetan Sharma

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Mumbai, Dec 31: Chief selector Chetan Sharma on Friday said his committee did not want to take any chance with skipper Rohit Sharma for the upcoming three ODIs in South Africa as there are many important series and a T20 World Cup lined up in the coming year.

After a chat with the white-ball captain, the selectors believed it would be prudent for Rohit to keep working on his rehab and fitness, instead of travelling with the team to South Africa.

"This is the only reason we decided that he (Rohit) goes and do his rehab, work on his fitness, work on his muscles," Chetan said at a media conference after announcing the team for the matches against South Africa.

Rohit, one of the finest white-ball exponents, was ruled out of the ongoing three-match Test series in South Africa after his old hamstring injury resurfaced during the team's training session in Mumbai. In Rohit's absence, the in-form KL Rahul will lead the 18-member squad in South Africa.

"There is so much cricket (happening). No player wishes for an injury, everybody wants to play, nobody gets injured intentionally. "And this was the reason to stop Rohit from these three matches, that he is 100 per cent fit, there is World Cup in front of you, there are important series in front of you, that is the reason.

"We had a good chat with Rohit, all selectors had a good chat with Rohit and that is the reason he is not going to South Africa and KL is the captain," said Chetan. Rohit has been doing his rehab at the Bengaluru-based National Cricket Academy.

Rohit was ruled out of the series in South Africa due to a hamstring injury, forcing the selectors to appoint KL Rahul as skipper of an 18-member team for the white-ball leg of the tour.

All-rounder Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja were also not selected as they were not fit while senior pacer Mohammed Shami, who is in the team for the ongoing Test series, was rested. Pacer Jasprit Bumrah was named as vice-captain of the team.

The three-match ODI series will begin at Paarl on January 19. The second match will also be played at Paarl on January 21 while the third one will be at Cape Town on January 23. In fact, the selection meeting was supposed to be held earlier -- just after the Vijay Hazare Trophy -- but it was pushed back only to ensure that Rohit gets a chance to pass the fitness test.