Virat Kohli will lead India in the first two ODIs in the five-match series against the West Indies, according to selection committee chairman M.S.K. Prasad.
Prasad told the media here on Thursday that Kohli had been leading from the front in all three formats. “Whenever the need arises, we are looking at other options like Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma and they did well.
“In fact, we are looking at everyone to think like a leader on any given day to be an unbeatable side,” he said.
Prasad said pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar have been rested. “We are in the process of finding the third and fourth seamers for the 2019 World Cup,” he said.
On Rishabh Pant, Prasad said M.S. Dhoni continued to be the No. 1 wicketkeeper and in search of a second wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik was given a chance. “Now we are giving the opportunity to Pant. We will take a call at the appropriate time who the best is,” he said.
Referring to the communication row between some of the players who were dropped and the selection panel, Prasad said the team management and the selection panel were on the same page.
The squad (for first two ODIs): Virat Kohli (Capt.), Rohit Sharma (vice-capt.), Shikhar Dhawan, Ambati Rayudu, Manish Pandey, M.S. Dhoni, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Shami, Khaleel Ahmed, Shardul Thakur and K.L. Rahul.