Out-of-form veterans Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will continue to form the batting core of India’s ODI squad but there are at least three senior players whose future in the 50-over format could be debated when the selectors gather this weekend to pick the squad for the Champions Trophy.
KL Rahul, Mohammed Shami and Ravindra Jadeja’s presence in the side is not a surety for the event starting February 19 even though they were a part of last year’s World Cup.
Since the final, India have played six ODIs and while Shami and Jadeja were rested, Rahul was included for both the away bilateral engagements against South Africa and Sri Lanka.
Against Sri Lanka, however, he was dropped in the middle of the series after failing to get going in the middle overs. The world is also yet to forget how his sedate half century after using up 100-plus deliveries became a prime reason for India’s loss on November 19, 2023, against Australia.
It is understood that Yashasvi Jaiswal has a very bright chance of making it to the ODI squad. His inclusion would ensure a left-handed batter in the top four.
But if Rishabh Pant is the first-choice wicketkeeper, then would there be any point in having Rahul as the back-up? And if Rahul is not keeping, his place as a batter is not guaranteed.
Among his closest competitors, Ishan Kishan hasn’t scored enough runs in the Vijay Hazare Trophy while Sanju Samson hasn’t been picked by Kerala after he missed the initial games.
If coach Gautam Gambhir still has his say in selection matters like he did till the disastrous Australia tour, then Samson, one of his personal favourites, will surely make the cut.
India will play all their Champions Trophy games in Dubai, starting with the clash against Bangladesh on February 20. This was after the team refused to travel to original hosts Pakistan citing security concerns.
Jadeja’s white-ball woes
Jadeja’s white ball batting hasn’t been as good as it used to be and those who are tracking the selection committee feel that Axar Patel is being seen as way more effective in the ODIs at the moment.
Washington Sundar is expected to make it as an off-spinner but Kuldeep Yadav’s fitness is something that selectors would be fretting on. Kuldeep is near full fitness but hasn’t played a Vijay Hazare Trophy game.
In case Kuldeep fails to make it, one among Ravi Bishnoi or Varun Chakravarthy is expected to be picked.
Shami’s fitness
Coming to Mohammed Shami, the veteran pacer’s communication with the team management and the selection committee on his fitness status didn’t seem to have the required clarity.
However, he has bowled eight overs each in the last two Vijay Hazare Trophy games and in case Jasprit Bumrah fails to make it due to back spasms, Shami’s experience will become crucial for the side.
Hardik Pandya is the seam bowling all-rounder and it will be interesting to see if Nitish Reddy will be considered.
Among the reserve specialist batters, the choice could be between Rinku Singh and Tilak Varma.
Shastri wants Rohit and Kohli to play domestic cricket; Ponting proposes time off for Kohli
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri wants the struggling Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to get back to playing Ranji Trophy and feels the Test future of the two superstars is dependent on the hunger to maintain their excellence in the game.
The repeated failures of the star Indian duo in the Border-Gavaskar trophy contributed to the visitors’ series loss.
India head coach Gautam Gambhir underlined the importance of domestic cricket following the loss and Shastri too feels Rohit and Kohli should return to playing Ranji Trophy even though the next series is in June. “If there’s a gap for them, they should go back and play some domestic cricket and see how it is. Because when you play Test match cricket for that length of time, it’s important to play domestic cricket for two reasons,” Shastri said during a conversation alongside Australian great Ricky Ponting on ICC Review.
“One you are abreast with the current generation (and) you can contribute to that younger generation with your experience. And more importantly, you get to play spin more than you will ever play.
“If you see, India’s record in India on turning tracks is not the greatest. If you have quality spinners in the opposition, they can trouble you. And they have troubled India,” he added.
Asked specifically on their Test future, Shastri added: “I would leave that on them and would be closely tracking how they fare in the upcoming games (ODIs against England, Champions Trophy).
“The hunger and desire as well is very important. One is 36 the other is 38 they would know how hungry they are. They will walk away if they think they have had enough,” added Shastri.
Kohli will be better served by a break: Ponting
Former Australian captain Ponting has no shame in admitting that he carried on playing at the highest level longer than he should have. Back in 2022, Kohli had taken a month off from the game and that worked well for him.
Ponting feels time has come for Kohli to get away from the game following his constant troubles outside the off-stump over the course of the five Test series Down Under.
“…The challenge is, and I can see it with Virat now, you can see how much he wants it. He’s trying so hard that actually makes batting harder. The harder you try sometimes with batting, the less success you’re going to have,” said the multiple World Cup winner.
“I started thinking more about not getting out rather than scoring runs and that might sound strange but that’s what it was. I was trying to be so perfect set the right example play exactly the way my team needed me all the time but when I was playing my best I didn’t think about any of that.
“I just walked out and thought about scoring runs. I can just see a little bit of that with Virat now. Even the way that he’s getting out you can see he doesn’t want to be playing at those balls he’s trying not to do it but he’s there’s some mental block there that’s making him feel for that one outside the off stump.” A break can only help the Indian legend, said Ponting.
“He had a mental break (in the past) where he stepped away for a while and then came back and find the love for the game again. So right now it just seems like that real love of the game for him is not there because he’s making it too hard to enjoy.
“So if he wants to continue playing Test match cricket, he might just need to have a little spell for a while, find the love for the game again.”
Champions Trophy (In Contention):
Rohit Sharma (capt), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy/Ravi Bishnoi, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan/Mohammed Shami, Rinku Singh/Tilak Varma.
Published – January 08, 2025 04:41 pm IST
