The year 2022 ended on a good note for the Indian cricket team as it whitewashed the 2-match test series against Bangladesh and it will certainly like to continue its winning streak in the white ball format as well in the new year 2023.
Clashing against Sri Lanka at home
2023 is going to be a very important year for the Indian squad as first it will clash against Sri Lanka , New Zealand and Australia at home and then it is scheduled to take part in the Asia Cup 2023 and the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 which is slated to take place in India. India and Sri Lanka will play 3 T20Is and the same number of ODIs against each other starting January 3 and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has already announced the squad for T20Is and ODIs against Sri Lanka.
KL Rahul removed from the post of vice-captain
Though the Indian cricketer KL Rahul has taken a leave from the BCCI as he is said to be getting married in January next year and he won’t be available for the complete series against Sri Lanka but the BCCI has named him in the ODI squad and the big change that has taken place is that KL Rahul has been removed from the post of vice-captain.
KL Rahul served the Indian team as vice-captain since Rohit Sharma was appointed as the skipper and many times Rahul led the team in Rohit’s absence. Rahul hasn’t been performing well across all the formats for quite some time now and there are various reports which suggest that his T20I days are over now because of his slow batting approach and now he will play the role of a wicketkeeper-batsman in the team in ODIs.
Hardik Pandya – the new vice-captain of the ODI team
There is a good probability that Hardik Pandya who will lead India in T20Is against Sri Lanka will be handed over captaincy of the Indian T20I team permanently and now he has also been appointed as the vice-captain of the ODI team which is an indication that the board wants to make him skipper in the ODI format as well after Rohit Sharma retires.
While KL Rahul won’t be available in the complete series against Sri Lanka, Virat Kohli has been rested for the T20I series and Rohit Sharma won’t be available because of his injury. Rohit and Virat will make a comeback in the ODI series against Sri Lanka.
What do you think of change in KL Rahul’s role in the team? Do let us know your views in this matter.