The Board of Control For Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah recently deflected a question on Rohit Sharma's participation in the next year's ICC T20 World Cup but he stated that the Indian squad's coaching staff's tenure will be decided after the South Africa tour.
Rohit has reportedly communicated to the BCCI that he is not too keen to play T20 international cricket for India. There were also rumours that the Indian board is trying to convince Rohit to lead the team in the T20 World Cup but Shah refused to provide any clarity on this issue.
No clarity on Rohit's comeback in T20Is
India's defeat in the T20 World Cup 2022 against England in Adelaide was Rohit's last match in the shortest format for the national team. He has been rested for the upcoming T20Is and ODIs vs South Africa but will join the squad before the Test series later this month.
"What is the need to have clarity right now? It (T20 World Cup) is starting in June. We have the IPL before that and also the series against Afghanistan," Jay Shah told reporters on the sidelines of the WPL 2024 auction in Mumbai on Saturday.
Coaching staff tenure to be formalised in January
Meanwhile, turnaround time between World Cup and South Africa tour was so short that despite giving Rahul Dravid and his team extension, the tenure couldn't be formalised, something that will happen once they are back from the Rainbow Nation, said Shah.
"We have given the extension but we are yet to finalise the contract. We did not get time at all, they finished (with the World Cup). I had a meeting with them (Dravid & Co.) and we agreed mutually that they will continue. We will sit down and decide once they return from South Africa," the secretary said.
Hardik Pandya injury update
Shah also provided an update on Hardik Pandya, who was ruled out with an ankle injury mid-way into the ICC World Cup in November.
Hardik had torn ligament of his left ankle while trying to stop a powerful hit off his own bowling during a World Cup match against Bangladesh in Pune, ruling him out of the remainder of the tournament.
"We are monitoring it on a day-to-day basis. He is at NCA only, he is working very hard and we will let you know in the due course the moment he is fit. He could be fit before the Afghanistan series also," Shah said.
