New Delhi, Sep 15 (PTI) A white ball lifeline for Rishabh Pant and a possible inclusion of a fit-again Hardik Pandya will be the focal points of discussion when the national selectors pick the ODI and T20I squads for the home series against West Indies here on Wednesday.
India will play three ODIs and five T20Is against the West Indies. While the T20I squad is almost expected to be a mirror image of the Asian Games squad with the matches starting from October 6, the selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar does have a job at hand to pick the 50-over squad from the options available.
However it could be last selection meeting for Ajit Agarkar as in all likelihood the one year extension doesn’t seem to be on cards.
Agarkar’s contract runs till October 4 and till Tuesday night, none among BCCI’s top decision makers have contacted the chairman. Agarkar on his part had told sources close to him that after West Indies team selection he is likely to mail a thank you note to secretary Devajit Saikia for BCCI giving him an opportunity to work for three years.
However there is time till October 4 but as of now there has been a communication breakdown between BCCI and chairman of selection committee.
Return of Hardik Pandya =============== Pandya’s scheduled return to competitive cricket is September 20 as he has already been picked for India A’s three-match One Day series against Australia A in Puducherry from October 6.
However, the West Indies ODIs start in Thiruvananthapuram from September 27 and it will be up to the selection panel to decide whether Pandya is ready to bowl 10 overs and field for 50 overs straightaway in a full international game.
The lack of seam bowling all-rounders is an issue for selection committee if Pandya is unavailable. The second option Nitish Kumar Reddy will be in Japan playing the Asian Games during the ODI series.
The third and fourth options — Suryansh Shedge and Venkatesh Iyer are currently injuries.
Rishabh Pant’s 50 over comeback ===================== Pant’s indifferent IPL form saw him lose Test vice-captaincy and also a place in the white ball sides but with Ishan Kishan in Japan, the flamboyant southpaw might just get a look-in in the squad of 15 with KL Rahul being the first choice ODI keeper. Rahul is also likely to be Shubman Gill’s deputy in absence of Shreyas Iyer.
In case Pant misses the bus, then selectors will go for Dhruv Jurel and send Pant to lead Rest of India in the Irani Cup.
Gaikwad, Patidar in the mix ================== With Iyer on Asian Games duty, Ruturaj Gaikwad is expected to take the No 4 slot in the line-up after skipper Gill, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Yashasvi Jaiswal will be the reserve opener while reserve middle order batter in all likelihood will be Rajat Patidar.
Both Gaikwad and Patidar are also supposed to play for India A after the West Indies ODIs with the former leading the team.
Jadeja or Suthar? =========== Ravindra Jadeja, who was not picked for the ODI series in England, could earn a recall as Harsh Dubey picked up an injured during Central Zone’s semi-final against East Zone in the recent Duleep Trophy.
While Dubey along with Axar Patel were being looked at as the two left-arm spinners for ODIs, their absence due to forced reasons might prompt selectors to summon Jadeja unless there is a left-field selection like Manav Suthar. Axar will be playing in the Asian Games.
In case Kuldeep Yadav is called up for Asian Games if injured Varun Chakravarthy can’t make it, then selectors would have a real problem.
They will have to then resort to the likes of Vipraj Nigam or Zeeshan Ansari if they want a wrist spinner.
Siraj to be back in ODIs after rest ====================== Mohammed Siraj was not a part of the ODI squad in England but he is supposed to comeback alongside Gurnoor Brar, Prasidh Krishna and Prince Yadav, all of whom played the last series. Jasprit Bumrah won’t be available due to his Asian Games commitment.
As of now, it is highly unlikely that out-of-favour veterans like fast bowler Mohammed Shami and Yuzvendra Chahal will get a look in unless there is any massive external pressure. PTI KHS KHS APA APA KHS
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