The BCCI selection committee, under the direction of Ajit Agarkar, was planning to meet online on Thursday to formally choose India’s team for the final three Test matches against England. Nevertheless, there was ambiguity regarding whether the meeting occurred as planned. Reports from Cricbuzz suggest that the selection meeting is likely to be postponed to Friday due to the unavailability of important individuals. Captain Rohit Sharma and coach Rahul Dravid are anticipated to attend the conference in order to contribute their important perspectives.
According to certain sources within the BCCI, the delay in releasing India’s selection for the third, fourth, and fifth Tests seemed to have no connection to Virat Kohli. The selectors and team management are aware of Kohli’s status, but the delay in announcing the squad may be related to Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul, and Ravindra Jadeja. The selectors appear to be keen to proceed at a leisurely pace, particularly given that the third Test is almost a week away.
An unidentified BCCI insider had previously said that Kohli has not yet informed the board about his intended date of comeback. However, it is becoming more evident that the former captain of India will not be able to participate in the Rajkot and Ranchi Tests. A determination regarding his inclusion in the last test will be made at the appropriate time; however, it appears unlikely that he will participate in the series.
Team India is expected to exploit the advantage of having Jasprit Bumrah in the third Test.
The team management had briefly contemplated giving Bumrah a break for the third Test, but recent developments in the series have prompted a reassessment of this decision. Given the anticipated match on a potentially favorable batting pitch in Rajkot, the selectors now endorse his participation. Although Mohammed Siraj is expected to rejoin the team for the next match after being absent in the second Test, the task of finding a suitable replacement for Bumrah’s abilities on this particular pitch, particularly with the series in a delicate balance, is a substantial obstacle.
The right-arm pacemaker’s impressive display in the initial two Tests, resulting in 15 wickets from 58 overs, emphasized his significance to the Indian team. As a result, the team management is eager to keep him for the third test. Nevertheless, taking into account the thorough medical assessment that the BCCI’s medical experts provided regarding the workload of the fast bowler, the final decision depends on discussions with him.
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