Chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar set to travel to West Indies to hold talks with Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma - Reports
Newly appointed chairman of selectors, Ajit Agarkar, is reportedly set to travel to the West Indies to discuss fitness issues and the World Cup squad in general among other things with head coach Rahul Dravid and captain Rohit Sharma. Team India team are currently assembled in Trinidad, the venue for the second and final Test against the Men in Maroon.
India are only two months away from competing in a World Cup on home soil, and there is a little uncertainty in the pathway in terms of personnel and fitness issues. The likes of Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, and Jasprit Bumrah are currently recovering from long-term injuries. The Men in Blue are scheduled to play a white-ball series in the Caribbean and also play the Asia Cup and a short bilateral series against Australia as well.
A BCCI source told PTI on the conditions of anonymity about Agarkar's impending arrival in the Caribbean:
"Currently Salil Ankola is in the West Indies but he will be back after the Test series gets over. Ajit will be joining the team before the start of the white ball leg."
The BCCI is also expected to send a second-string squad to Ireland for a three-match T20I series, which is also being considered as an avenue for Bumrah's return from injury.
The right-arm pacer last played in the home series against Australia in 2022 and missed out on the T20 World Cup 2022 and the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) as well.
A decision to be taken on Bumrah and Rahul's participation as well as the transition of the ODI and Test squad by Agarkar and Co.
According to reports, Jasprit Bumrah has started bowling in the nets, but he is yet to receive a Return To Play (RTP) Certificate from the fitness coaches at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru.
KL Rahul, who is being touted as the team's No.1 wicketkeeper choice in ODIs in the absence of Rishabh Pant, has also started batting in the nets. While he is unlikely to be considered for the Ireland series, the management will make a call regarding his participation in the 2023 Asia Cup.
Additionally, Agarkar also intends to lay out a plan for the ongoing transition of the ODI and Test squad. Senior players like Cheteshwar Pujara and Umesh Yadav were not selected for the ongoing Test series in West Indies, while new faces like Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal earned their maiden Test call-ups.