The selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar will have task cut out while picking India's squad for the upcoming T20Is against Afghanistan, especially with seasoned players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli eager to participate in the 2024 T20 World Cup in June.
Neither Rohit nor Kohli has played in T20 internationals for India since the T20 World Cup semifinal against England in November 2022. Meanwhile, two of the India's national selectors, Shiv Sunder Das and Salil Ankola, are already present in the Cape Town and will soon be joined by chairman Agarkar during the second Test against South Africa at Newlands.
It has been learnt that Agarkar and Co. will consult with India's head coach Rahul Dravid, captain Rohit, and batting maestro Kohli before finalising and announcing the squad for the series against Afghanistan.
Approximately 30 T20 specialists, including prominent players from the Indian team and the IPL, will be under observation in preparation for the ICC event in the Caribbean and the United States. The decision of whether Agarkar and his team will choose both Rohit and Virat for the upcoming series against Afghanistan which is scheduled to start from January 11 in Mohali, or assess their form and fitness during the IPL, remains uncertain.
Both Rohit and Virat, considered contemporary cricketing greats, have reportedly expressed a their desire to participate in the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Considering the England Test series commencing in Hyderabad from January 25, it seems improbable that Rohit and Virat would participate in more than a few matches of the T20 series, even if they are selected.
IPL to decide players' fate
The performance of players in the IPL will be a key factor in determining their selection for the World Cup.
A senior BCCI source privy to the development told PTI that players like Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya are currently not fit. However, the source emphasised that the upcoming Afghanistan series won't play any role in players' selection for the T20 World Cup. Instead, decisions will primarily be based on performances during the first month of the IPL.
"Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya aren't fit. The Afghanistan series won't tell you anything. Everything will be decided on the basis of the first month of IPL," a senior BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
The BCCI is aware that it cannot instruct IPL franchises on how to manage the workload of players potentially selected for the T20 World Cup, which is scheduled for June-July, following the IPL's conclusion in late May.
"The BCCI can never tell a franchise to manage a star player's workload unless it's a case of injury management," source added.
25-30 players in contention
It is likely that around 25 to 30 players will be shortlisted and closely observed throughout the two-month duration of the IPL. Given the potential for injuries or fitness issues during the IPL, the selection committee plans to have two players prepared for each slot, ensuring immediate like-for-like replacements are available. However, an exception is Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya, for whom finding an immediate and comparable substitute may not be feasible.
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