India's squad for limited-overs series against England to be picked during first week of January
Ahead of the three-match ODI series against England that begins on January 15, the Indian team will take part in a week-long conditioning camp in early January in Bengaluru according to TOI. Following India’s 4-0 win over England in the Test series, the camp will give coach Anil Kumble and the staff the opportunity to assess injury concerns ahead of the limited-overs leg of the series against England, the squad for which will be picked during the first week of January.
India will take part in three ODIs and three T20Is against England with the first ODI beginning in Pune on January 15 and it is expected that the camp that will take place in Bengaluru will begin towards the end of next week and last until January 12 before heading to Pune on January 13 and attend the MAK Pataudi lecture, which will be delivered by former Indian international Farokh Engineer.
Extra Cover: MS Dhoni set to play warm-up matches against England; R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja could be rested for ODI and T20I series
This conditioning camp will give Anil Kumble a chance to get together with the players that will take part in the ODI and T20I series, which is likely to be similar to the one that took on New Zealand in the ODI series than the one that just completed the 4-0 series win over England, with key bowlers like Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja likely to be given a break.
Chance to prove fitness and make it into squad
A source added that the camp will provide the players with the perfect opportunity to get back into the groove ahead of the shorter formats.
“The team management did weigh the work-load on the cricketers. But there are some like ODI captain MS Dhoni who will have a good opportunity at the camp to get into the groove,“ the source said.
There are other players, like Ajinkya Rahane and Hardik Pandya, who were part of the Test squad but didn’t take part in the entire series due to injuries and the camp will give them the opportunity to prove their fitness ahead of the ODI series, the squad for which and the T20I series will be picked in the first week of January, according to a source.
There were already reports that MS Dhoni, who hasn’t played a competitive game since the end of the ODI series against New Zealand in late October, will take part in warm-up matches for the Board President’s XI ahead of the limited-overs leg of the series against England.
“As he is short of match practice he has decided to play the two Board of President XI games. One will be day and second game will be a day-night affair,” A BCCI official said.