The BCCI selection panel headed by Chetan Sharma met today on December 7, 2021 in Mumbai in order to pick the Indian squad for the upcoming tour of South Africa later which begins on December 26.
India is scheduled to play 3 Tests and 3 ODIs in December-January, for which Cricket South Africa recently announced the revised schedule.
While the Indian squad was to be announced today itself, if reports are to be believed, the BCCI selection panel has requested more time to pick the ODI team and discuss the ODI captaincy matter as well, as per the Times of India.
It has been learned that the selectors are keen to give the veteran out-of-form players a longer rope for the tour. While Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara are likely to travel with the Test team, Ishant Sharma also is likely to get the nod. Even Shikhar Dhawan, who was recently dropped from the T20I squad, is likely to get a shot at the ODIs next month.
At the moment, clear communication with the players and the team management seems to be a priority.
"The ODI captaincy is a sensitive issue. There is a school of thought that Rohit Sharma should be given charge of all white-ball cricket after being appointed the T20I captain. But for that, the selectors need to sit with Virat Kohli and know where he stands with his batting. The situation will have to be discussed with Rohit too, because he is also seeking clarity on his role," a source close to the selection panel told TOI.
"India will play the first ODI in South Africa on Jan 19. That's more than a month away. The Vijay Hazare Trophy is going on. The selectors will like to watch the talent available there. They have made it clear to Indian players that they must play domestic tournaments when they are not with the Indian team. As for Dhawan, he has been a consistent performer in ODIs. Even in the last two series, he has performed," the source added.
"A huge squad will be traveling to South Africa. Leaving out a veteran on this tour could put a question mark on his future. Ishant needs more overs under his belt and his experience in the dressing room is also valuable," the source pointed out.
The Test team is scheduled to leave for South Africa on Dec 16. The players have been given time off from the bubble and are expected to get into quarantine by Dec 10.
Head coach Rahul Dravid wants to have a few sessions with players who missed the New Zealand series. Sources said the Indian team is unlikely to undergo any quarantine upon reaching South Africa.
Meanwhile, Hardik Pandya looks to have ruled himself out of selection. He is undergoing rehab and has opted out of the Vijay Hazare Trophy. It is understood that he is working on regaining fitness to bowl at full tilt.
(Times of India report)
