Virat Kohli Vs Naveen-ul-Haq Unlikely To Take Place In India Vs Afghanistan ODI Series Due To THIS Reason

India are getting ready to place a rare three-match ODI series against Afghanistan next month. One of the biggest talking points in the series could have been a possible face off between former India captain Virat Kohli and Afghanistan pacer Naveen-ul-Haq. The duo’s confrontation after their IPL 2023 match between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) earlier this month.

Both Kohli and Naveen were fined by the IPL for their confrontation – with Virat losing 100 per cent of his match fees while Afghanistan fast bowler losing 50 per cent of his match fees. After the RCB-LSG game, Naveen posted Instagram stories of sweet mangoes whenever the Bangalore-based franchise did not perform well in other matches. Naveen had even uploaded a laughing meme video on his Instagram Story after RCB were knocked out of the tournament after losing to Gujarat Titans in their last match.

But now contrary to reports in some quarters that the Board of Control for Cricket in Indian (BCCI) are planning to cancel the proposed home series against Afghanistan due to cramped calendar, there is possibility that a second string team might play with all seniors including ODI and Test captain Rohit Sharma along with senior player Virat Kohli rested before West Indies tour.

Lucknow, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and now Kohli Kohli chants even by the Chennai crowd right before Naveen Ul Haq __

pic.twitter.com/HhJnw3TAeL — Pari (@BluntIndianGal) May 24, 2023

All Indian players were involved in a gruelling IPL 2023 for nearly two months and will be in England for a one-off WTC final but after that, most seniors like Kohli and Rohit will need rest before they embark on West Indies tour where all three formats will be played. Kohli and Rohit are certain two play Tests and ODIs and would need adequate rest.

With only window for Afghanistan series between June 20-30, the BCCI might have shorten the series or may be only convert it into either T20I or ODI series and play the a second string side led by Hardik Pandya. Mirwais Ashraf, the president of the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) is in India for the final of the IPL and while a meeting between the members of the Asian Cricket Council is slated to take place, India and Afghanistan cricket boards could also finalise the details of their proposed white-ball series.

The Indian team has a packed schedule lined up after the conclusion of the IPL 2023. While the coaching staff and some members of the team have already flown to England to prepare for the final of the World Test Championship against Australia starting on June 7, there is also a full tour of the Caribbean lined up ahead.

India will play two Tests, three ODIs and five T20Is against the West Indies from July 12 to August 13, after which the team is expected to play a three-match T20I series in Ireland. The Ireland series will mostly feature IPL performers and even Pandya could rest from that series keeping Asia Cup in mind.

The ACC board members will meet on the sidelines of the IPL final to finalise the future of the Asia Cup 2023, which means that the workload will only increase for the Indian players, given that there is an all-important 50-over World Cup lined up for October-November. If finalised, the Asia Cup 2023 is expected to be played in September, which means that the Indian players will be hard pressed to find time to rest and recuperate, and a packed calendar has already witnessed big injuries to key players such as Jasprit Bumrah and Shreyas Iyer with no set timeline of comeback.

Additionally, in September, India are also set to play a three-match ODI series against Australia – a second such series this year – to finalise ODI World Cup 2023 preparations.

According to ‘Cricbuzz’, the BCCI is finding it difficult to schedule the Afghanistan series, proposed to be having three ODIs, given the time constraint and also because the broadcast deal with Disney Star has ended and a new tender is yet to be issued.

However, BCCI secretary Jay Shah during an earlier interaction with media in Mumbai had said, “BCCI media rights tender will be on schedule this year (June-July) and will depend on the Afghanistan tour, but more likely the process will start from the Australia series. The Board will speak to all stake-holders concerned and will come up with an interim decision.”

(with PTI inputs)