After the Sri Lanka series, India will host New Zealand for the white-ball series. Team India will lock horns with the Black Caps in three ODIs starting on January 18, followed by three T20Is. And on Friday, the selection committee announced a 16-member squad each for ODIs and T20Is.
The BCCI has once again sidelined Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from the T20I squad. Hardik Pandya will be the captain in the shorter format, and Suryakumar Yadav is the vice-captain. Prithvi Shaw has also been selected after almost 18 months. Washington Sundar is also back with the team.
But a couple of notable names who are currently playing in the ongoing ODI series against Sri Lanka are not part of the upcoming series against New Zealand. Axar Patel, who won “Man of the Series” in the T20I series against Sri Lanka, is not part of the white-ball squad for the ODIs and T20Is against New Zealand, and KL Rahul has also been rested.
𝗡𝗢𝗧𝗘: KL Rahul & Axar Patel were unavailable for the New Zealand Home series due to family commitments.#TeamIndia | #INDvNZ
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 13, 2023
However, the BCCI also revealed that both cricketers have taken a break from the series due to personal commitments. The BCCI tweeted, “KL Rahul & Axar Patel were unavailable for the New Zealand Home series due to family commitments.” Meanwhile, the Indian fans have had pretty mixed reactions to KL Rahul sitting out.
Special thanks to family of @klrahul !!
— Rocky Indian 🚩 (@rocky_indian7) January 13, 2023Advertisement
🤣let rahul be with family
— Dr.Aniketh T N (@DrAniketh) January 14, 2023
Acha huwa K L Rahul is out Good for Nothing
— Ruban_Rocks🇮🇳 (@Rubanmoses2) January 13, 2023
Bcci is a joke. Clear bias in giving few players a permanent place in the squad. Like KL.
— Bruce Wayne (@TheDarkKnight1_) January 14, 2023
To incllude KL Rahul in any of the squad is JOKE…..
— Baba (@bhaveshkjha) January 14, 2023
Lot of people have performed in Ranji but most of them have been ignored…
भगवान् का लाख लाख शुक्र है 🙏😂
— Anuj Tiwari 🇮🇳 (@anujposeidon) January 14, 2023
देवा इन दोनों को हमेशा family Commitments में busy रखना।।
Kl ki need bhi nahi hai T20 me.
— Nikita Dubey 🇮🇳 (@NikitaMalviya04) January 13, 2023
KL Rahul dubara chance mat dena hei atcha hei…tumaraha jamai raja hei kiya KL rahul?
— Udit Konwar (@UKnowar) January 13, 2023
Kl rahul ko puri tarah se bahar kar do, tumhari koi cd hai kya uske pass jo aise nikamme players ko khilate ho
— Lumia for Life (@Lumia_FOR_Life) January 13, 2023
Are sir aap nhi jante aap ne hum bharatvasiyo par kitna bda upkar kra he k.l Rahul ko na khila kar. Par aapki bhi koi galati nhi he vo to unka family me kuch kaam aa gya he nhi to aapne k.l Rahul se to aajivan khilane ka contract sign Kiya hua he
— Anand Lashkari (@alashkari50) January 13, 2023
Thanks @BCCI for dropping worth for nothing #KLRahul . Can he be given lifetime family commitments.
— CommonWow-Man (@CommonWowman) January 13, 2023
