"Won't be easy to sideline those two" - Rajkumar Sharma on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's absence from India's T20I team

Virat Kohli's childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma recently stated that he is unaware of why the senior batter has not found a place in India's T20I squad for the upcoming home series against New Zealand.

Sharma stated that the selection panel would have spoken to Rohit Sharma and Kohli regarding their future in the shortest format of the game. He claimed that considering the stellar record of the two batters, it won't be easy to drop them suddenly from the side.

Speaking to India News Sports on Saturday, January 14, he said:

"Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's absence from India's T20 squad is a mystery to me as well. There has been no official confirmation regarding them. I am sure the new selection committee would have spoken to the two senior players.

"However, I don't know anything about it. They are very big players. It won't be easy to sideline those two or drop them."

Notably, Rohit and Virat were not part of the T20I series against Sri Lanka, which India won 2-1. The two players showcased impressive form in the subsequent ODI series. However, they were once again ignored by the selectors for the shortest format.

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"They don't seem to be in India's T20 scheme of things" - Reetinder Sodhi on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma

During the aforementioned discussion, former all-rounder Reetinder Singh Sodhi reckoned that Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma don't seem to be in the selectors' scheme of things for the T20 format.

He suggested that national selectors might have made the decision not to pick them for the Men in Blue's T20I fixtures in the near future. Sodhi, however, highlighted that the two batters deserve to be a part of the squad, given that they have a proven record in 20-over cricket.

"Virat and Rohit were expected to be part of India's squad for the T20I series against New Zealand," Sodhi added. "But now it appears as if the selectors have made up their minds. Both players have done well in the format and deserve a look-in. However, they don't seem to be in India's T20 scheme of things."

While the two veteran batters aren't a part of the T20I team, they have retained their place in the ODI side. The three-match series against New Zealand with get underway on Wednesday, January 18.