Team India’s 15-member squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup is likely to be announced by the end of April, news agency PTI reported.
While the global showpiece tournament is slated to be held in the West Indies and USA from June 1 to June 29, ICC's deadline for team submissions is May 1.
All the participating teams will have the opportunity to modify their preliminary squads until May 25.
"The Indian team will be selected some time during the last week of April, the time by which the first half of IPL will be over and national selection committee will be in a position to assess form and fitness of the contenders," the senior BCCI source told PTI on condition of anonymity.
"The first batch of cricketers will leave for New York immediately after the end of the league stage of Indian Premier League (IPL) on May 19. Those players, whose teams won't qualify for the final four will be going early, like it happened during WTC (World Test Championship) final last year," the source added.
According to the report, some of the stand-by players will travel with the Indian contingent to avoid logistical challenges in case a player from the main squad picks up an injury or has to pull out due to unforeseen events.
The four national selectors are travelling to watch most of the matches as this is the World Cup unlike other editions when they travel for a select few games but keep a track on TV.
The Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel will travel to the West Indies and USA to watch most of the matches unlike other World Cup editions when the selectors only attended a select few games.
It is learnt that there have been no directives issued to any of the World Cup hopefuls about workload management as they remain under the control of their respective franchises during the two-month-long IPL.
"Obviously, if any centrally contracted or targeted player gets injured, his case will automatically come under the purview of the NCA's Medicine and Sports Science team.
"Also for the centrally contracted players and targeted players (India A, Emerging India), the S&C (strength and conditioning) coaches and physios need to keep NCA in loop. But when players are contracted with franchises, BCCI can't dictate how many matches they will play. As far as bowlers are concerned, it is only four overs," the source added.
India’s T20 World Cup 2024 campaign is due to begin on June 5 against Ireland in New York. The marquee India versus Pakistan fixture in scheduled for June 9 in New York.
(With PTI inputs)
