As India prepare for a two-Test series in the West Indies, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Mukesh Kumar are being considered as potential replacements for Pujara and Umesh.
The selection committee, led by Shiv Sunder Das, is focused on identifying and grooming the next generation of players for more challenging assignments. India’s tour of the West Indies will consist of two Test matches starting on July 12, followed by three ODIs and five T20Is.
It is expected that a completely new team under the captaincy of Hardik Pandya will be selected, with IPL performers likely to be rewarded with a chance.
Although the team’s disappointment over another WTC final defeat will be felt, there is a strong belief that the selection committee and head coach Rahul Dravid will explore alternative options for the next WTC cycle, which begins with the series in the Caribbean.
Currently, Pujara and Umesh are considered the weak links in the team, as their performances have been below par for an extended period. Consequently, their positions are likely to be assessed before the upcoming series.
“You need to strike a balance. Selection is a process of elimination but you need that blend of youth and experience. The idea should be long-term and you have to look at a two- year cycle now.
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“I believe Yashasvi Jaiswal is ready for international cricket. He has scored double hundreds in Ranji, Irani and Duleep Trophy. Looks solid in terms of temperament and could be groomed while being given enough chances to grow,” former national selector Devang Gandhi told PTI.
Another former national selector, who refused to be quoted, was critical of the BCCI not having any A Tour programme since the tour of Bangladesh last December.
“Look, Umesh is at the business end of his career but with no A tour programme, you don’t know who all are ready. There was a time when we had Mayank Agarwal, Rishabh Pant, Hanuma Vihari, Mohammed Siraj, Navdeep Saini ready through consistent A tours and shadow series.
“Now you don’t know. I presume the only form bowler is Mukesh but he is a seamer and not an express pacer,” the selector said.
‘Will Rohit play Test cricket for two years’
While one can’t put a date on KL Rahul’s comeback from a thigh surgery, he is no longer in leadership contention. Will skipper Rohit Sharma, considering his current form and fitness, continue to play Test cricket for two more years and complete the next cycle, when he would be nearly 38? That’s a million dollar question at the moment.
Another question is who is a better bet as vice-captain in next one year if Pujara is phased out considering that the West Indies is one Test team against whom a youngster would have easy initiation.
“The problem is that you give a West Indies Test series to Pujara and if he scores, you have got to persist with him for one more year as there are no Tests after this till December. So do you do that or straightaway get a youngster and get him ready for bigger battles,” the former selector questioned.
For many, Shubman Gill at 23 is at the correct age where he can be prepared over time for a leadership role. A short-term solution could be to hand it over to a sure-shot all-format player like Ravindra Jadeja.
However, Gandhi asked why not someone like R Ashwin, who has a fantastic cricket brain.
“Why not Ashwin? And if you say that he is not a certainty overseas, then I would say even Rahane, despite being a vice-captain, was dropped from playing XI at one point. So even Ashwin can be considered or Rahane for a short time before Gill cements his place in Test XI,” Gandhi opined.
‘Rinku, Jitesh in line for T20I selection’
One format where there won’t be any ambiguity is T20 Internationals where Hardik Pandya will lead India, including in next year’s T20 World Cup in the Americas (West Indies and USA).
The T20I team would be purely based on IPL performers and one can expect the likes of Rinku Singh and Jitesh Sharma to make the cut in the final squad, as teams in the past lacked finishers.
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Ruturaj Gaikwad’s comeback and Yashasvi Jaiswal’s inclusions also look imminent while Mohit Sharma could earn a well-deserved comeback after his 27 wickets in last IPL.
While Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are being phased out of the shortest format, the likes of Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj could be rested considering their workload and the upcoming ODIs before the World Cup.
(With PTI inputs)
