India's T20I squad to undergo major transition, Rohit & Virat to be gradually eased out: Report

India's T20 squ will undergo a major transition in next 24 months because senior players such as Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin will be grually eased out, BCCI sources said on Thursday.

While it appears that Ashwin and Dinesh Karthik have played ir last games in shortest format, BCCI will leave it on Kohli and Rohit to decide on ir T20I future.

After team's humiliating defeat in T20 World Cup semifinal, a visibly upset Rohit was consoled by he coach Rahul Dravid, who fronted media after match.

next T20 World Cup is still two years away and if those privy to developments are to be believed, re will be a brand new team in place with Hardik Pandya being long-term captaincy choice.

" BCCI never asks anyone to retire. It is an individual decision. But yes, with just a handful of T20Is scheduled in 2023, most of seniors will concentrate on ODIs and Test matches in that cycle," a BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anymity.

"You don't need to anunce retirement if you don't want to. You will t see most of seniors playing T20 next year," source ded.

However, Dravid said it's too early to talk about transition when PTI asked him about future of senior players like Kohli and Rohit.

"It's too early to talk about it right w just after a semi-final game. se guys have been terrific performers for us. Like you said, we have a couple of years to reflect on it," Dravid said.

While some of players have been contemporary greats of game, Dravid doesn't want anyone to write m off in haste.

"re are some really good quality players here, so absolutely t right time to talk about this stuff or think about this stuff right w.

"We'll have eugh games, eugh matches as we go on ahe, and India will try and build and prepare for next World Cup,” he coach ded.

It is understood that for next one year, T20Is will take a back seat as India play at least 25 ODIs, going into next year's 50-over World Cup at home.

A look at India's FTP calendar shows that till 50-over World Cup, team will play only 12 T20Is in form of bilateral events (home and away), starting with three games in New Zealand next week.

With Shubman Gill included in side and Rishabh Pant (vice-captain for tour) also a keen opener, grammar of Powerplay batting might change.

t to forget a phemenally talented Prithvi Shaw, who has been repeatedly igred in Dravid's stint as coach.

Rohit and Kohli are huge names and BCCI is likely to leave it up to m to decide about charting course for next phase of ir careers.

Rohit is 35 w and in two years at of 37, he is t expected to le a T20I team in a global meet.

In case of Karthik's role as designated finisher, it was a short-term arrangement keeping in mind T20 World Cup.

As far as Ashwin is concerned, re was serious threat perception in minds of opposition batters during entire tournament. Three of his six wickets in six games came in Zimbabwe match and an ecomy rate of 8.15 was thing to write home about.

Washington Sundar, who before his plethora of injuries h cemented his place, will w get a longer rope.

only tricky call will be on KL Rahul, whose strike-rate of 120.75 was a reflection of everything that was wrong with Indian team.

He is only opener among top teams, who has played two maiden overs and has failed to get into double digits against any top side (4 vs Pakistan, 9 vs SA, 9 vs England) in big games.

Rahul has failed to change his game despite a lot of criticism and his n-performance has been so glaring that it will be difficult to igre when selectors meet to pick team for a T20 series against Sri Lanka.

Upton's contract ends

Mental conditioning coach Pdy Upton’s contract with Indian team has ended with conclusion of India's T20 World Cup campaign.

Upton's second stint with Indian team hasn't yielded desired results as team came cropper at both Asia Cup and T20 World Cup.