Indian cricket fans may witness the return of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in national colours as early as August, provided the BCCI approves Sri Lanka Cricket’s (SLC) proposal for a short white-ball series next month. While nothing is confirmed yet, serious discussions are underway involving head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar.
What’s the Proposal?
Sri Lanka has requested India to fill the vacant window from August 17–31, left open by the cancellation of India’s tour to Bangladesh. The proposed series includes:
- 3 ODIs
- 3 T20Is
This bilateral series could serve as the ideal return for Kohli and Rohit, who are now focused exclusively on the ODI format after stepping away from T20Is and Tests post the T20 World Cup 2024.
Asia Cup & Schedule Clash
The decision hinges on several factors:
- Pending government clearance for the Asia Cup scheduled from September 17–27
- Discussions between BCCI, Gambhir, and Agarkar on how the Sri Lanka series fits into India’s broader roadmap
- The Bangladesh tour’s deferral to 2026 due to regional security and scheduling issues
An official source told Cricbuzz, “There is a request pending from the SLC, but we have not decided on it yet. We will have to see the situation with the Asia Cup. Everything is interlinked.”
Rohit & Kohli’s ODI Future
With both legends sitting out the current England Test series, the Sri Lanka ODIs could mark their first outing since the T20 World Cup. This series may also serve as valuable prep for the Asia Cup and ICC tournaments ahead, especially for format-specific players like Kohli and Rohit.
The cricketing world now watches as the BCCI weighs its options. Should the board give the green light, fans could see India’s beloved veterans don the blue jersey once again in what promises to be a high-voltage return.
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