Virat Kohli rested for Asia Cup: A premature or a pragmatic decision?

When you have a combined experience of just 13 Test matches & 31 ODI's played for the nation, the 5 member selection panel doesn't appear to be an illustrious one. And to cap it all, if that panel is asked to pick the star-studded 16-member Indian cricket team, one may conclude that the panel may not have a full say in the decision making.

And when India's superstar cricketer Virat Kohli is not picked for Asia Cup beginning on September 15, BCCI quickly adds a para in its media release clarifying that the Indian captain was indeed given a much-deserved rest to "ease his workload."

The argument given was Virat Kohli has been playing continous cricket for quite some time and his body needed some rest. But same perhaps is true for a few other senior players all. Why not rest them as well?

Now, did Virat ask for this "much deserved" rest? Or is BCCI not giving enough importance to Asia Cup? Or is the selection committee preserving Virat for the upcoming series against Australia starting this November?

Considering playing a maximum of six matches in two weeks is hardly an aurdous task, what compelled the BCCI & selectors to take this decision in a hurry?

Read: BCCI Reveals Virat Kohli-less Asia Cup Squad: Rohit Sharma Named Skipper

Was team's coach Ravi Shastri consulted before arriving at such a conclusion?

Are BCCI, selectors and the Indian team ready to face any consequences arising out of Kohli's exclusion in Asia Cup, given the fact that team's strength will be halved by his absence?

Are we as a nation ready to lose a match against Pakistan at this stage? 

Indian team minus Virat Kohli loses the invincibility tag attached to it in limited overs cricket and all the participating countries will see more than a glimmer of hope with Kohli's absence.

Asia Cup is the third biggest multi-nation ODI tournament after World Cup and Champions Trophy and since it stamps regional supremacy, it would have been prudent if India's best ever match winner's services were utilized.

Read: Virat Kohli Reaches 6000 Test Runs In Second-fastest Time