Rohit Sharma unsure of his T20I career, unlikely to participate in ICC T20 World Cup 2024

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New Delhi, Nov 22: After Team India's loss in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 final against Australia, speculations are rife over Rohit Sharma's future in the forthcoming T20 World Cup 2024 in the USA and West Indies.

Rohit - who is India's most capped male T20I player, has reportedly decided not to play the shortest format games in Indian colours anymore. According to BCCI sources, the senior cricketer had discussed his T20I future before the start of the ODI World Cup.

A MyKhel report had earlier claimed that the seasoned campaigners Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are likely to stay away from the T20 team that will participate in the T20 World Cup 2024.

Rohit Sharma Unlikely To Play T20 World Cup 2024

The Mumbaikar hasn't played a single game in the shortest format since India's T20 World Cup semi-final exit in November 2022 and all-rounder Hardik Pandya has mostly led Team India in T20Is since then. The 36-year-old batter, has played 148 T20Is scoring 3853 runs at a strike-rate of nearly 140 with four hundreds.

"It is not a new development. Rohit hasn't played any T20Is in the past one year as the focus was on ODI World Cup. He had extensive discussions with the chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar in this regard. He has himself volunteered to stay away from T20Is. It has completely been Rohit's call," a senior BCCI source was quoted by PTI on conditions of anonymity.

Possible Openers For Team India In Rohit Sharma's absence?

Team India has more good opening options - Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ishan Kishan, and Ruturaj Gaikwad - in Rohit's absence and all of them have proven their mettle with whatever chances came their way in international cricket as also proven IPL performers.

However, if the younger crop does not perform, the selectors or the BCCI brass might just ask Rohit to reconsider his current stand. It is understandable that at this stage of his career, Rohit would like to manage his workload and ensure that he remains mostly injury-free for the remainder of his career.

Workload Management in Rohit Sharma's Mind

It will be impossible to play three formats and IPL each year and with seven Tests to be played between December 2023 to March 2024, the Indian skipper's focus will be mostly on red-ball cricket.

He still has a realistic chance of leading India to another World Test Championship (WTC) final in 2025 and his own form in traditional format has been superb since he started opening for India in 2019.