• Source:JND
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India star Virat Kohli returned for the T20I series against Afghanistan after a gap of more than a year, but this time with a different role in the team. India skipper Rohit Sharma also joined Kohli to make a return to T20I side after staying out since the T20 World Cup 2022 semi-final exit against England in Adelaide, Australia.

As per a report in Cricbuzz, India selectors had a discussion with the former India captain regarding his role in the T20I side. Kohli's strike rate against spinners in middle overs is a concern for the side in the T20I format. Kohli holds a career strike rate of 137 and an average of 53 in T20Is, more than many of his teammates. It is expected that the talks between Kohli and the selectors were on the same lines.

Afghanistan T20Is are the only bilateral matches that India will play in the format before the T20 World Cup 2024 in June.

Before the announcement of the squad for the Afghanistan series, chief selector Ajit Agarkar had a meeting with Kohli in Cape Town regarding his T20I future.

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With the return of duo star batters in the T20I fold, it is expected that both Rohit and Kohli will feature in the showpiece event in the West Indies and the United States.

The report also said that Ishan Kishan's omission from India's T20I squad might be on disciplinary grounds. It is speculated that he faced the heat for attending a television show without permission but insiders sideline this possibility. The other rumour is that Kishan did not convey his availability to the board which resulted in his exclusion from the side after taking leave from the South Africa tour.

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However, BCCI had the option to contact the wicketkeeper if they wanted him in the squad.

All of this raises the prospect of conjecture, and the BCCI has made no move to quell it by presenting a rationale for his non-selection. Kishan is said to be in India, but no one has been able to contact him. Even several of his Jharkhand colleagues attempted to contact him but were unable.

The 25-year-old keeper-batsman elected not to play for his Jharkhand in the Ranji Trophy first-round match against Saurashtra. Cricbuzz has been informed by state association authorities that they will contact Kishan and make a judgment on his selection by Tuesday evening.

Indian squad will assemble in Mohali on Wednesday morning for the first T20I of the series on Thursday, January 11.