India, without Rohit Sharma, are set to face West Indies in a three-game ODI series. For context, it’s not a World Cup year and this series isn’t even part of the Super League World Cup. India will be without Rohit, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya. Shikhar Dhawan will lead the team in three ODIs and this series is a chance for the team to test their bench strength.
The West Indies, on the other hand, have not been at their best in this format. They are on a six-game losing streak, giving India a test of the team’s young players. Rohit Sharma will not be part of this team but he will closely monitor the team’s progress.
Here we look at three reasons why Rohit Sharma resting for this series is a good decision:
#3 Opportunity for selectors to examine talents
With a number of senior players rested for this series, it’s a great opportunity for younger players to sign up for selection. The T20 World Cup is set to take place later this year and with the 50 plus World Cup in India next year, these players have it all to pay.
With Shikhar Dhawan being the only experienced player in the top order, Rohit Sharma’s absence will force fringe players to take on more responsibility with an extended rope.
#2 Manage the workload
Last week Ben Stokes called him quitting the ODIs due to the busy schedule. The fixtures for the Indian team are also packed and therefore the rest for their captain Rohit Sharma makes sense since this series is not part of the World Cup Super Series.
Over the past year, Rohit has been injured quite frequently and there must be a way to deal with it considering India will be hosting two massive tournaments in the next couple of years.
Rohit hasn’t had a very good run in England and this rest could rejuvenate him for the T20I series against the West Indies.
#1 Opportunity for Shikhar Dhawan to shine
Shikhar Dhawan struggled to find his groove in the ODI series against England. Without Rohit, Dhawan would have to take on more responsibility and that might free him up.
Apart from that, he is also considering a personal milestone. Dhawan currently sits fifth behind Virat Kohli (790 runs in 15 games), MS Dhoni (458 runs in 15 games), Yuvraj Singh (419 runs in 14 games) and Rohit (348 runs in 14 games) for scoring the most shopping in the West Indies.
There have been discussions about this position on the side. However, the southpaw wasn’t bothered by the constant chatter.
Read also
The story continues below
“I’ve heard it for 10 years,” said Dhawan when asked about his performances on the eve of the ODI’s three-game series against West Indies.
” That does not bother me. They keep talking, I keep playing. If it had affected me, I wouldn’t have gotten to where I am today,” he added.