Hardik Pandya, KL Rahul likely captaincy choices as BCCI looks to rest Rohit, Kohli, Bumrah for Sri Lanka ODIs - Reports

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly decided to give captain Rohit Sharma and senior stars Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah rest from the upcoming ODI series against Sri Lanka which is scheduled in August.

According to PTI, all-rounder Hardik Pandya and wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul are the front-runners to take the captaincy armband from Rohit. The report also said that Rohit and Kohli have asked BCCI for a break after playing almost non-stop cricket since December last year, including back-to-back IPL and T20 World Cup.

"Both are automatic choices in ODI set up and the three 50-over games against England before the Champions Trophy is good enough practice for them," a BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity. "For next few months, they both will prioritize Tests and India will play 10 of them between September to January."

"The Champions Trophy will happen in mid February and they don't need to go for a week-long 3 match ODIs in Sri Lanka. If they want, they are most welcome but I guess they would want rest," the source added.

While Pandya was handling T20 proceedings in Rohit's absence before the 2023 ODI World Cup, Rahul led India in ODIs in South Africa last year. They captain Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants, respectively in the IPL too.

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Kohli, Rohit and Bumrah's rest could be key for India

Kohli and Rohit don't have T20Is to worry about anymore. The BCCI might also want to rest Bumrah from the T20I leg o f the Sri Lanka series too.

This could be quite important for the three stalwarts. After the Sri Lanka series, India have a packed schedule, consisting of home Tests against Bangladesh and New Zealand followed by the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.

These rubbers will have key World Test Championship points at stake and all three players would want India to have a crack at a third final in 2025.