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Indian skipper Rohit Sharma was vocal about the workload management that Indian players need to follow by being smart about handling their bodies after the ODI series loss to Australia. The Men in Blue have now dispersed into the camps of their respective IPL franchises and this is where things could get tricky.
No franchise would want their star player to rest in a crucial game. But with the important World Test Championship (WTC) final that lies ahead, there have been reports that the workload of the star Indian players will be managed.
The Indian Express reported that Rohit Sharma, the captain of Mumbai Indians (MI), is likely to miss out on a few games to manage his workload and Suryakumar Yadav will lead the team in his absence.
While this report has received mixed reactions from fans, here are three reasons why Rohit Sharma potentially resting in a few games makes perfect sense:
#3 Cameron Green's future as opener can be tested
When MI broke the bank to secure Cameron Green's services in the IPL 2023 auction, the one question that revolved around everyone's minds was where the Australian all-rounder would bat.
Green was absolutely sensational during the T20Is against India just before the T20 World Cup last year. He came at the top of the order and absolutely smashed the bowlers to all parts of the ground.
If Rohit Sharma is rested, MI can push Cameron Green up to open with Ishan Kishan and see whether the all-rounder can replicate his explosive form at the top of the order. Just in case it works out, Mumbai may then even ponder letting Rohit bat in the middle order to make the most of Green's match-winning ability.
#2 Suryakumar Yadav's captaincy skills on display
Suryakumar Yadav continues to be arguably the best batter in the world in T20Is at the moment and was also named India's vice-captain in their T20I series against Sri Lanka and New Zealand earlier this year.
Even during his days at the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), 'SKY' was sometimes handed over the vice-captaincy as Gautam Gambhir saw some spark in him. This spark could well help him become the heir to MI's captaincy once Rohit Sharma retires.
If Rohit rests, it will be interesting to see how SKY makes crucial decisions under pressure. This could also prove to be a dress rehearsal for MI for life after Rohit Sharma hangs his boots. The MI skipper will turn 36 in April and MI may want to start planning for the near future.
#1 Rohit Sharma's history of injuries
Arguably one of the biggest reasons why this potential workload management from Rohit feels right is because of the number of Test matches he has missed over the past couple of years.
Be it the Test series in South Africa or the series in Bangladesh, Rohit had to miss out due to some or the other injury. Rohit had tested positive for COVID-19 just before the one-off Test against England, missing that crucial encounter too.
In the absence of Rishabh Pant, Rohit Sharma's runs become absolutely vital for India, especially in the English conditions where he scored 368 runs in four Tests in 2021.
With the WTC final to be held at The Oval, a ground where he has his only overseas Test hundred, Rohit should rest in some IPL games and ensure that he is fully available for Team India for the big game.
