Despite WTC last loss, India is about to stick with tried and examined batsmen for the West Indies sequence

The loss to Australia within the World Test Championship last won’t end in a knee-jerk response from the BCCI. The Indian Express has learnt that there will probably be no main modifications for subsequent month’s two-Test sequence in opposition to West Indies.

The Test group, led by Rohit Sharma, will play Two Test matches in Dominica and Trinidad from July 12.

However, with the likes of Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit and Virat Kohli roughly in the identical age bracket, the selectors wish to area a group with a mixture of youth and expertise for the Border Gavaskar sequence in Australia — India’s final project of the 2023-2025 WTC cycle.

The Australian group have fun as captain Pat Cummins holds the winners trophy through the victory ceremony for the ICC World Test Championship Final at The Oval cricket floor in London, Sunday, June 11, 2023. Australian defeated India on the final day of the take a look at. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

The selectors want to keep away from what occurred through the 2012-2014 part, when after the Fab Four retired and it took time to construct the core group of batsmen. But the transition will occur publish the West Indies sequence, that too one spot at a time relying on the type of the established batsmen. The subsequent sequence after the 2 Tests in West Indies is in opposition to South Africa in December.

With practically a five-month hole between the 2 excursions and sans any first-class cricket within the mentioned interval, India are planning to stay to the skilled batsmen in the interim.

As reported beforehand, Mumbai’s Yashasvi Jaiswal and Maharashtra’s Ruturaj Gaikwad are a part of the Test group plans going ahead. However, the duo could have to attend for a gap.

Although there are issues about Rohit’s health, with no different captain in sight, selectors are planning to stick with him a minimum of until the tip of the 50-over World Cup in India later this yr. Any name on his future within the ODI and Test format could be taken solely after the World Cup. It is known that similar to the T20s, the place a separate group is groomed beneath Hardik Pandya, the selectors are planning on doing the identical in ODIs as nicely.

With India having loads of choices within the white-ball set-up, the transition part is prone to start with the ODI group earlier than the Test aspect.

India’s Cheteshwar Pujara makes an attempt to play a ball by Australia’s Pat Cummins however the ball glances off his bat and he’s caught out behind by Australia’s Alex Carey on the fourth day of the ICC World Test Championship Final between India and Australia at The Oval cricket floor in London, Saturday, June 10, 2023. AP /PTI(AP06_10_2023_000255B)

Cheteshwar Pujara is prone to be retained for the West Indies regardless of not making an affect through the WTC last. The 35-year-old, who’s a veteran of 103 Tests, was dropped after India’s tour to South Africa in 2021/22, however solely to make a comeback six months later.

In the eight Tests since making a comeback, he has scored just one century and has crossed fifty solely as soon as. While he has been scoring closely in County cricket for Sussex, there have been apprehensions even inside the group administration to recall him in 2022. However, there was a college of thought within the BCCI that he deserved one other likelihood, significantly due to his previous efficiency in difficult situations in Australia.

With Jaiswal delivering constantly within the home circuit, there’s speak of grooming him for the No.3 spot. With loads of choices accessible for the opener’s slot, the group administration and selectors reckon his compact method and aggressive batting is what the group wants at No.3.

With groups preferring to play on result-oriented surfaces, having a minimum of one or two aggressive batsmen is seen as an absolute necessity. Jaiswal at No.3 and Shubman Gill on the high may very well be what selectors are in the long run. It is learnt Jaiswal’s title will come up for dialogue when the selectors meet to choose the Test group for the West Indies sequence.

After the tour of South Africa, India’s subsequent sequence within the WTC cycle is at house in opposition to England (5 Tests) in January-February adopted by ones in opposition to Bangladesh and New Zealand in October-November.

Chief selector search

Off the sphere, the BCCI remains to be on the lookout for an acceptable chairman of selectors, which the board’s bigwigs really feel is essential for the transition part. Ever since Chetan Sharma stepped down as chairman of selectors earlier this yr, the BCCI hasn’t appointed any substitute with SS Das filling in as appearing chief.

Post the IPL, it’s understood that the board officers reached out to a few reputed gamers from the north zone, who’ve performed greater than 100 matches every, however they’ve declined the supply citing the low pay package deal. Sources within the board indicated that they’ve sounded out one other participant from the World Cup profitable squad of 2011, however are nonetheless awaiting a response.