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Aiden Markram welcomes Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s absence from India’s T20I squad but praises the Indian team ahead of the T20I series.
Virat Kohli (left) and Rohit Sharma now play one format on the international level. (PTI Photo)
Asked in regards to the absence of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from the upcoming T20I series between India and South Africa, captain Aiden Markram limited his emotions to 2 words: ‘it’s great’. Nonetheless, he did also mention that despite the 2 greats, it was still a ‘great Indian team’.
Kohli and Rohit retired from T20Is in 2024, with their last match coming against Markram and Co. on the 2024 T20 World Cup in Barbados. They’ve been the largest thorns in South Africa’s tour up to now, with each scoring heaps of runs within the recent three-ODI series where the Proteas suffered a 2-1 defeat.
“It’s great that Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma usually are not a part of the T20I side, but still it’s an ideal Indian team,” Markram said on the pre-series press conference on the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, as quoted by news agency PTI.
He didn’t expose too a lot of his team’s plans either.
“No extra plans, I assume. It’s T20 cricket, it’s an entertaining format and that’s the brand we wish to play. We wish guys to free themselves up, benefit from the game, let their best skills be on show. Tomorrow is the beginning of a brand new series. We haven’t chosen the ultimate XI just yet, we want a couple of more discussions after which we’ll come to that,” he said.
South Africa have been buoyed by the return of express quick Anrich Nortje and the visitors would depend on the additional pace of him, Lungi Ngidi and the awkward skills of Corbin Bosch to cause nearly all of problems to India.
“Our fast-bowling stock is growing… The fellows will likely be excited and I’m sure they’ll give 100 per cent… You expect the wickets to be pretty good and the games to be high-scoring. If not, we adapt on the market in the center. Tomorrow is a crucial start and hopefully we are able to get off on a superb note,” Markram signed off.
Click here so as to add News18 as your chosen news source on Google. December 08, 2025, 20:40 IST
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