Gautam Gambhir is all set for this first assignment as the new head coach of the Indian cricket team, when India will tour Sri Lanka at the end of this month.
The tour will consist of three T20Is and three ODIs, starting on July 27 and ending on August 7.
MORE: Will Hardik Pandya play in India vs Sri Lanka series?
Senior India players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma who had retired from the T20I format following their victory at the T20 World Cup 2024 will therefore, not take part in the T20 series against Sri Lanka.
Moreover, they had opted to rest for the ODI series as well after consultation with the BCCI officials, where they mutually agreed that it is important to maintain workload management ahead of the Test season.
However, according to reports, Gambhir does not believe that the senior players should rest for the ODI series and is keen to include them in the squad for the ODIs against Sri Lanka.
Sharma could be named as the ODI captain for the 50-over series in Sri Lanka. However, Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah could be rested.
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'No Resting' - Why does Gautam Gambhir want Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to play in the ODI series against Sri Lanka?
The former Indian opener and new head coach of the Indian team, Gautam Gambhir believes that the senior players should not be rested for the upcoming ODI series against Sri Lanka.
The main reason for such a stance, according to our understanding, is simply because Team India does not have enough ODIs scheduled ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy tournament, starting in February 2025.
MORE: How many ODI matches will India play before 2025 Champions Trophy?
The Indian team were scheduled to play just six ODIs post the T20 World Cup 2024 in July until February 2025, with three of those ODIs being played in the upcoming Sri Lanka tour.
As the head coach, Gambhir wants all players likely to be included in the Champions Trophy squad next year, to use the Sri Lankan series as a mode of preparation. To make sure he understands the team dynamics, he wants Sharma to continue as the ODI captain.
BCCI wants Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to rest and not play the Sri Lanka series
However, the BCCI had earlier stated that they planned to give rest and manage the workloads of the senior players ahead of the congested Test cricket season where they will play a home series against Bangladesh and New Zealand, before travelling to Australia at the end of this year.
Moreover, the players had themselves requested the management for rest after the T20 World Cup 2024, to take time off the sport and to spend time with their families.
According to Indian Express, a BCCI source had earlier said: "Senior players can take some rest and get ready for the full cricket season ahead. Rohit, Virat and Bumrah have been offered rest and will join the team for the Test matches against Bangladesh in September."
"Both [Kohli and Rohit] are automatic choices in ODI set up and the three 50-over games against England before the Champions Trophy is good enough practice for them. For next few months, they both will prioritize Tests and India will play 10 of them between September to January," the BCCI source added.
This was BCCI's stance ahead of Gautam Gambhir's appointment as the head coach of the Indian team. It will be interesting to see whose opinion prevails once the squads are announced for the ODI series against Sri Lanka.
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