India likely to rest all senior players from home series against New Zealand scheduled next month

India are all set to rest all their star players for the home series against New Zealand that will start right after the conclusion of the T20 World Cup in the UAE and Oman, PTI reported.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is of the view that all senior players such as the current skipper Virat Kohli, whose captaincy tenure will end in the World Cup, along with Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja, and Mohammed Shami would’ve spent more than four months in biosecure bubbles and hence they must get a break to refresh themselves.

Notably, there will not be too long a gap between the World T20 and India’s tour of South Africa scheduled to start mid-Deceber and the BCCI does not want to risk senior players for that series.

"Most of the Indian players, the senior ones have now been in three back to back bubbles for four months. Possibly after T20 World Cup, you would want them to take a break and rejuvenate before the South Africa tour starting December end, " PTI quoted an unnamed official as saying.

Notably, India could pick a second-string squad in the same way they did for the tour of Sri Lanka earlier this year in July under the leadership of Shikhar Dhawan. Dhawan was made captain of the side possible due to the absence of Shreyas Iyer and with him back from injury, it is all likely that he will lead the side against the Blackcaps.

Also, India are unlikely to have a full-time coach by the time the New Zealand series is scheduled to start and the BCCI is all likely to request Rahul Dravid to don the hat once more after his coaching stint on the tour of Sri Lanka.

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