Indian skipper Virat Kohli and his One Day International (ODI) deputy Rohit Sharma are not on the same page on the former’s suggestion to rest the team’s key pacers for the upcoming season of India Premier League (IPL 2019). The opinions of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma differ on resting the key pacers ahead of the ICC 2019 World Cup.

At a recent meeting with the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA), the 30-year-old captain reportedly suggested that the main fast bowlers be rested from the 12th edition of IPL so that they could be “fresh and fit” for the forthcoming World Cup.

However, Virat Kohli does not find many people backing him up. Even his deputy Rohit Sharma does not agree with him.

As per a report in the PTI, a board official said the franchises were unlikely to agree with Kohli’s proposal.

“The IPL is starting on March 29 and will finish on May 19. In any case, there will be a 15-day gap before India play their first World Cup game against South Africa on June 5. So there is no chance that pacers can be rested for the entire duration of the IPL,” a senior official, who was present in the meeting, told PTI.

When CoA chief Vinod Rai asked Rohit Sharma, who was present in the meeting, the Mumbai Indians captain said as per the BCCO official, “When Kohli mooted the idea, CoA chief Vinod Rai asked Rohit about his take. Rohit apparently said, ‘If Mumbai Indians reach Play Offs or finals and if Bumrah happens to be fit, then I cannot afford to rest him.”

Another official, who also attended the meeting, said it was “weird” that Virat Kohli wants all the key pacers to be rested from the upcoming t20 extravagant.

“It has been a convention for the past few years that IPL trainers and physios work with the Indian team’s support staff on workload management. That will be followed next year as well and in any case, fast bowlers don’t play all the games” the official said, before adding, “The question is more about Bhuvi and Bumrah as Shami, Umesh and Khaleel are not automatic choices for their franchises and may not play all IPL games (minimum 14).”

The official further said, “Virat wants his two premier fast bowlers to be rested for the IPL but it could well be counter-productive as they will be out of match practice for two months before the World Cup.”