Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma should be available for most games: Gautam Gambhir

India’s newly appointed head coach Gautam Gambhir is hopeful that Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will be available for most games. As the veteran duo has retired from the T20I format, they will be playing in ODIs and the Test format.

Gambhir reckons it is important to manage the workload of fast bowlers, especially Jasprit Burmrah but the batters can play consistently if they are in good form. 

Earlier, Gambhir had said that he is not a big believer in managing player’s workload and they should play most matches if they are fit.

“Workload management for someone like Jasprit Bumrah is important. For batters, if they can play consistently and in good form, they might as well play all the games. And with now Rohit and Virat not playing T20I cricket, they only have two formats to look after. I am sure they are going to be available for most of the games. Yes, for Jasprit Bumrah (workload management), he is one rare kind of a bowler. It’s our responsibility to try and have him fresh for major games. Not just for Bumrah, but for most of the fast bowlers, workload management becomes really important,” Gambhir said during the press-conference.

Previously, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma were expected to be rested for Sri Lanka ODIs but they have been included in the squad. Jasprit Bumrah has been rested for the whole tour. 

The first T20I between India and Sri Lanka will be played in Pallekele on July 27.

T20I Squad: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh, Riyan Parag, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, Mohd. Siraj.

ODI Squad: Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (WK), Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Riyan Parag, Axar Patel, Khaleel Ahmed, Harshit Rana.