"It will create a problem if they are suddenly sidelined" - Kamran Akmal on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's absence from India's T20I team

Former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal believes that the Indian selectors must persist with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in T20Is, considering the record of the two senior batters.

Both Sharma and Kohli have not featured in the Indian team for the shortest format since last year's T20 World Cup in Australia. The two star players were also not named in the Men in Blue's squad for the forthcoming five-mach T20I series against West Indies.

Akmal, however, emphasized that the selectors need to find a way to accommodate Sharma and Kohli. He opined that the presence of the veteran batters will give India a huge advantage at the 2024 T20 World Cup.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, he explained:

"Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's presence often puts pressure on the opposition teams. I don't think India can make a team for an ICC event without them. They are proven players and all-time greats. Virat Kohli is in a different league altogether. Every kid follows him.

"He has established himself as a world-class player with his passion and performance. It will create a problem if they are suddenly sidelined. Rohit Sharma is also a very big player and has scored many hundreds in T20 cricket. They are a must in a big tournament. Yes, it is okay if you don't give them the captaincy, but they should surely be in the squad."

Akmal also suggested that the Indian selectors missed a trick by not picking left-handed batter Rinku Singh in the squad for the West Indies T20Is, adding:

"Rinku Singh should have been a part of India's squad. He delivered some exceptional performances in the IPL. He single-handedly won matches for KKR this season. It is a big achievement to win so many games in a single tournament. This shows that he has the talent to do well in international cricket."

It is worth mentioning that Sharma struggled to get going in this year's Indian Premier League (IPL 2023), mustering 332 runs at an average of 20.75. Kohli and Rinku, on the other hand, had a fantastic season, finishing with 639 and 474 runs, respectively.

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"It has become very clear that the BCCI wants to make a team keeping the 2024 T20 World Cup in mind" - Kamran Akmal

India hasn't won the T20 World Cup since its inaugural edition in 2007

Kamran Akmal further stated that India has given opportunities to youngsters lately as they want to identify a squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup.

He pointed out that this was a step in the right direction, as the players who have performed well in the IPL and domestic cricket are being rewarded, elaborating:

"From this squad, it has become very clear that the BCCI wants to make a team keeping the 2024 T20 World Cup in mind. Hardik Pandya has been getting chances to lead the team for a year or so, and many new players have also gotten opportunities. It is a good step, and the ones doing well in the IPL and domestic cricket should be given chances."

The five-match T20I series between India and West Indies is scheduled to kick off in Tarouba, Trinidad, on August 3.

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India's squad for West Indies T20Is

Ishan Kishan (wk), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (VC), Sanju Samson (wk), Hardik Pandya (C), Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Umran Malik, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar.