India’s cricket selector will set the ball rolling in the longest format for the team’s long transition journey, when they choose a new Test captain and will finalize the squad to expect a challenging five -match series in England on Saturday. 25-year-old Shubman Gill is a clear favorite for a high-profile job as an Indian on a new World Test Championship cycle following the retirement of Stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma over a week’s interval.
By Simple Logic, Jasprit Bumrah was the vice-captain on the previous tour of Australia, and should be elevated in the role of leadership, but the question on his long-term fitness and workload management is likely to go against him.
Rishabh Pant has a forgetful IPL, but remains an important part of India’s transition phase in the test format. The selectors are likely to make him a vice-captain.
Stopping leadership, no major shake-up is expected.
Although the exit of Rohit and Kohli leaves a large scale, KL Rahul’s choice can provide very important experiences in the batting department.
Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal are expected to open in the first Test starting in Leeds on 20 June, but there will be hot Sai reforms on their heel, which is likely to be selected as a reserve opener.
It remains to be seen whether one of Karun Nair, Sarfaraz Khan or Shreyas Iyer makes it as an additional expert batsman.
After the retirement of another stallwart, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja will have the major spinners, and it will be interesting to see if the selectors go with two or three spinners in English conditions.
If the number is two, Washington Sundar can find a node in front of Kuldeep Yadav, who is a proven match-winner in the format.
The pants are the major wicket-keeper batter and the option for a reserve is also straightforward, set to maintain the Dhruv Jurall.
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar is expected to address the media after the Squad’s announcement and talk about the road ahead for the team going through a reconstruction process.
The speed department led by Bumrah has enough experience, but will he complete the rigor of the five -match series? Mohammed Shami’s fitness is also concerned.
Can their aging body be rapidly cured between a long chain? Mohammad Siraj is ready to be the third pacer in the team. If the selectors decide to take five fast bowlers, Prasad Krishna, Akash Deep and Arshdeep Singh, who are still to play Test cricket, will also be in the mixture.
If five intelligent people go for left -handed pace, Arshdeep will compete with Khalil Ahmed.
India will be made public a week before India starts a tour of England. Any final minute replacement of the Test squad is expected to come from the shade tour that includes two four -day games.
(Except for the headline, the story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is published by a syndicated feed.)
Subjects mentioned in this article