End of road for Dinesh Karthik, Ravichandran Ashwin? BCCI begins T20 transition?

In all likelihood, the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia will be veteran wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik and veteran all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin's final appearance in the format. The Chetan Sharma-led selection committee supposedly instituted the transition phase in the Twenty20 (T20) version, keeping the 2024 edition in the West Indies and the United States of America (USA) in mind. On Monday, all-rounder Hardik Pandya was named the T20I skipper for the short three-game series in New Zealand, beginning November 18. A look at the team indicates that Gen Next will be ready to take over after the T20WC.

Former skipper-cum-top-order batter Virat Kohli and regular skipper-cum-opener Rohit Sharma requested rest. Also, wicketkeeper-opener KL Rahul might have been given a break for personal reasons (marriage with Bollywood actress Athiya Shetty). While they might well play the shortest format for India, a change in stance must be addressed. Karthik featured in 27 T20Is in 2022 until the South Africa game. But he has now been ignored for the three contests versus New Zealand.

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Nor does Ashwin, who, on the insistence of Rohit, was brought back into the T20 fold after four years. "The [T20] World Cup is going to finish in some days, so we need to decide whom to rest or not. He [Karthik] has been performing and is available to us. But this time, we just thought of trying a different set of players after the World Cup," chairman of selectors Sharma proclaimed to the media.

While Sharma refused to confide details on Karthik's injury, he didn't want to confer why the veteran stumper required workload management, having played just 27 T20Is for India over the previous four months. "The medical team is looking after him. It's an internal matter, so disclosing anything here is not wise. He is part and parcel of the World Cup and doing well," added Sharma.

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But, it is comprehended that Indian cricket is eventually ready to move beyond Karthik. In 2019, ICC World Cup ended his One-Day International (ODI) career, and 2022 might catch his international T20 swansong. It is understood that with young wicketkeeper-batters Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson and skipper Hardik already in the squad, the trio will be groomed as fixed finishers.

Shubman Gill's entry could also mean that Rahul, who is not the best T20 opener going around, could be systematically removed from the shortest format shortly. The novel approach might require renewed faces with no pronounced baggage.

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What about Kohli, Rohit?
With only a year left before the ICC World Cup in India, both Rohit and Kohli will be concentrating on ODIs along with Tests. But they still have to play T20Is. At least, that's not the motion that they have given.

"The selection committee has consciously started this transition phase, as T20Is are not a priority in 2023, but ODIs are. Some partakers in certain slots could be tried out to see if they fit. T20Is again become important in 2024 in World T20 year," a Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) source was quoted as saying.

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But, Prithvi Shaw, easily one of India's best talents, is ignored continually and does chafe. "We are in constant touch with Prithvi. He is doing well and will get his chance very soon," endorsed Sharma. Shaw scored 285 runs in seven matches with a strike rate of 191-plus in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 competition, yet he has missed the bus. Leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi will also feel hard to have missed the bus since chinaman Kuldeep Yadav's comeback means three wrist spinners cannot play in the same set-up.

Is it last selection meeting for Chetan Sharma's committee
It has never happened that selectors have named four squads for two separate tours in a day like Sharma did for New Zealand and Bangladesh. When questioned if this was his committee's final gathering or not, he was reserved: "I don't know about that."

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Sharma's committee, which also possesses Debasish Mohanty (East), Harvinder Singh (Central) and Sunil Joshi (South), have often been lamented for lacking consistency in selections. Also, there is a substantial rumour that some may be revised once the new Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) takes custody.

(With inputs from PTI)

• Dinesh Karthik
• Ravichandran Ashwin
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