Though the focus is on the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT 2024), however, India head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar have been tasked by the BCCI to work together to create a roadmap for Team India going forward.
This comes after India embarrassingly lost to New Zealand 0-3 in the Test series, their first white-wash at home since 2000 and first Test series loss at home since 2012.
As per reports, Agarkar has been asked by BCCI to stay back in Australia during the whole BGT 2024 tour and work with Gautam Gambhir to chalk out a plan for each player and their future.
The goal, according to BCCI sources, is to make sure that Gambhir and Agarkar agree on the same pathway going forward. Speculation has been raised over some of the recent choices and tactics being out of sync.
"Both Agarkar and Gambhir know that such poor performance in India will trigger widespread criticism, which is justified. Since it's a long tour, both can sit together and discuss how things can be taken forward after the tour. Both will need at least a year and a half to build a team with a strong backup. That's where both have to be on the same page about the process,” a BCCI source told Times of India.
Speaking with the veteran players about their plans is reportedly one of the main responsibilities. Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Virat Kohli, and captain Rohit Sharma are all in their late 30s.
"These senior players are still a very important part of the team. But one may expect some tough discussions as well. The seniors will be kept in the loop about the vision of the selectors and coach. They will be asked to share how they plan their careers going into the next World Test Championship cycle and the ODI World Cup being about two years away," the source said.
With a very short turnaround time for the Indian team between BGT 2024 and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, with only 6 white-ball matches against England at home, the workload of the Test players will be reviewed.
It is known that Rohit and Gambhir, the selectors, will also attempt to focus on the Champions Trophy core.
Gambhir is very keen on establishing a specialized T20 team with solely T20 experts and no multi-format players. The fact that India's multi-format players are frequently rested from bilateral T20I series is the source of the misconception.
"The T20 format requires specialists but there are a few players like Bumrah, Pant, Jaiswal, and Gill who can't be ignored. Most of the T20I series are played against weaker oppositions or teams who also rest topline players. There is a line of thought that the youngsters in the T20 team then have to make way for the Test players when they are available," the source said.
