India vs Australia 2023 Twitter Reactions

'Isko World Cup se bhi rest dedo 2027 me fresh rahega' - Fans fume at Indian Cricket Board for resting Virat Kohli from first two games against Australia

After a thumping victory against Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup 2023 finals, the Indian team is set to face Australia in a three-match ODI series.

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Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli (Source: Twitter)

Virat Kohli Virat Kohli (Source: Twitter)

After a thumping victory against Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup 2023 finals, the Indian team is set to face Australia in a three-match ODI series. Starting on September 22, India will play three ODIs against five-time World Champions before the prestigious ODI World Cup 2023. For the three-match ODI series, India announced its squad on Monday.

In order to keep senior players fresh and fit, India rested skipper Rohit Sharma, star batter Virat Kohli, and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja from the first two games. For the first two matches, wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul will lead the team, while Rohit will make a comeback in the third and final game.

Meanwhile, this selection has sparked controversy on social media as fans are furious to see Virat Kohli rest once again. Some have accused the Indian Cricket Board of conspiring against Kohli, while others have accused team management of the same. It’s worth noting that Kohli has played just six ODI matches in the last three months and has batted in just three innings. Fans are questioning the need for rest for key batters before the prestigious ODI World Cup.

Is Rohit Sharma following MS Dhoni’s work ethic?

Meanwhile, team management has not released any reason for resting senior players from the Australia series. However, it is understandable that the team wants them to stay fresh and fit for the major tournament. The team might also look to fine-tune their bench strength before the world. It's worth noting that India’s bench strength failed against Bangladesh in the recently concluded Asia Cup.

Meanwhile, an old record suggests that current team management is using MS Dhoni’s work ethic to keep senior players fit and fresh. Before the ODI World Cup 2011, India rested Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar in 21 matches. Similarly, Rohit and Kohli have been rested in 21 ODI games since last year. It might be the reason the Indian team rested Kohli from the ODI series against Australia.

Here is how fans react to the omission of Virat Kohli from the first two games of the Australia series:

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