India skipper Virat Kohli revealed that the team management have opted to keep Kuldeep and Chahal out of the scenario from T20Is to strengthen their lower batting order and try out a new combination in the spin department.
Kohli told reporters, "That was one of the reasons also to give opportunities to the guys who have done well in the domestic format and the T20 format and in the IPL also. So I think it's about finding the best balance that we can as a side and not necessarily stick to one kind of combination. If all teams across the world are batting till No. 9, 10, why can't we?
So, you need to take those calls at one stage. Bringing those guys (Chahal and Kuldeep) at one stage was also not taken well by people. Look, whatever decisions are made, are to make sure that the team has the best and strongest balance that we can have approaching the T20 World Cup that we have next year," highlighted Kohli.
Skipper Kohli also said India will be going into the T20I series against South Africa with the 2020 World T20 in mind, skipper Virat Kohli said.
"As far as the road map is concerned, whenever there is a world tournament coming up, it is like a milestone and you start preparing from backwards. I think every team will go though same process before T20 WC," Kohli explained at a press conference ahead of India's first T20I against South Africa in Dharamsala.