The Times of India stated that informal conversations about the team occurred during India’s recently finished white-ball tour of England. However, the selectors are now waiting for confirmation on the fitness of all-rounder Washington Sundar, whose injury has surfaced as a major selection concern.
The senior men’s selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, is expected to announce India’s Test squad for the upcoming two-match series against Sri Lanka later this week. The series is set to begin on August 15 in Galle, with the Indian team expected to depart for Sri Lanka on August 4 to begin preparations.
Washington sustained a right hamstring injury during the ODI series against England, ruling him out of the third and final ODI at Lord’s. While the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) verified the hamstring injury, the all-rounder will now be assessed at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) before being cleared.
The discomfort had subsided by the time Sundar arrived in London, but he was advised to have scans, which were later reviewed by specialists.
Even if the injury is merely a Grade 1 strain or a small pull, Sundar will need at least two weeks to achieve full match fitness.
With India’s departure for Sri Lanka just around the horizon, the selectors will closely monitor his rehabilitation before making a final decision.
Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja are scheduled to return.
The squad is likely to alter from the one that played the one-off Test against Afghanistan. Senior players Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja are likely to return for the Sri Lanka series.
If Sundar fails to recover in time, the selectors could either keep Harsh Dubey or bring in an off-spinner like Saransh Jain to balance the spin assault. Manav Suthar and Kuldeep Yadav are expected to remain in their positions, while Mohammed Siraj, Gurnoor Brar, and Prasidh Krishna could join the pace team.
Jadeja had missed the Afghanistan Test due to the IPL, but chief selector Ajit Agarkar emphasised his value to the team, calling him the “no. 1 spinner in the format”.
Aside from Sundar availability, another important decision concerns Nitish Kumar Reddy, who is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the CoE. The selectors must decide whether to back the seam-bowling all-rounder if he regains fitness or to go with a specialist instead.
India will also play a four-day warm-up match in Galle before the first Test, as they prepare for a critical series. Following the Sri Lanka tour, the Shubman Gill-led team will travel to New Zealand before hosting Australia for a five-match Test series.
With India’s World Test Championship campaign at a critical juncture, a strong performance in Sri Lanka will be critical to their chances of reaching the final.
Discussion about this post