Internet explodes as Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma return to T20I squad for Afghanistan series

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Sunday unveiled the 16-member squad for a three-match T20I series between India and Afghanistan. The series will start on January 11 in Mohali, Punjab. The major highlight of the announcement is the return of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to the T20I side. 

3 things you need to know

• Rohit Sharma has been named the captain of the Indian team for the series
• Rohit and Virat last featured for India in T20Is during the World Cup in 2022
• They were missing from the squad for the South Africa and Australia series

Also Read: 'I am not happy': AB de Villiers blames T20 cricket for short India-South Africa series

Indian fans celebrate Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's return

By including Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the squad, the BCCI has indicated that the experienced duo will be in contention for selection in the T20 World Cup 2024. This global tournament is set to be co-hosted by the West Indies and the USA in June. Earlier, conjectures were suggesting that the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia might have marked Kohli and Rohit's final appearance in T20Is for India, given their absence from any 20-over matches since then.

However, with the latest announcement, the internet in India has exploded as fans are celebrating the inclusion of the iconic duo. Here are some of the top reactions on the social media platform, X. 

India’s Squad for 3 T20Is against Afghanistan: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar