“They have been rested for the last game against West Indies. We have already sent them home, so they can get more time to rest, on the advice of the medical staff,” Sharma said. “They will be rested for the Sri Lanka T20I series.”
Meanwhile, Kohli’s break at this juncture, in particular, is to ensure he is fresh for the two-Test series that follow the T20Is against Sri Lanka. He had earlier missed the Johannesburg Test in South Africa due to back spasms.
“These things will have to be considered,” he had said. “Like what length of the tournament or series one is going to play and what impact it will have on players mentally to stay in a similar environment for 80 days and not do anything different.
“Or have space to just go and see family or small things like that. These things have to be thought about seriously. At the end of the day, you want the players to be in the best state mentally, based on how they’re feeling. Those conversations should take place regularly.”
Kohli was earlier rested from the New Zealand T20Is and the first Test in November following a long four-month stretch that began with the tour of England and ended with the T20 World Cup in October-November, with the second installment of the IPL in UAE thrown in between.
The 2022 IPL is also set to begin 11 days after the scheduled end of the second Test against Sri Lanka, on March 16 in Bengaluru.
This copy was amended at 11.00 GMT after chairman of selectors Chetan Sharma gave additional details.
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