Ajit Agarkar To Stay Back For Australia Tests; Big Call On Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma Expected: Report

Indian cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar will be working on a roadmap for the future of the white-ball teams alongside the upcoming Test series against Australia, according to a report by Times Of India. The report claimed that Agarkar has been asked to stay in Australia for the entirety of the Test series and work closely with Gambhir on the future plans. Questions were asked of the team management after India slumped to a 0-3 loss against New Zealand in the three-match Test series at home. As a result, this step seems to be an effort to increase collaboration.

“Both Agarkar and Gambhir know that such poor performance in India will trigger widespread criticism, which is justified. Since it’s a long tour, both can sit together and discuss how things can be taken forward after the tour,” a BCCI source said. “Both will need at least a year and a half to build a team with strong backup. That’s where both have to be on the same page about the process.”

According to the report, a major point of discussion is the future of the senior players in the side. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin are all in their late 30s and BCCI believes that the team needs to be ready with a plan for life after the stalwarts’ retirements in the near future.

“These senior players are still a very important part of the team. But one may expect some tough discussions as well. The seniors will be kept in the loop about the vision of the selectors and coach. They will be asked to share how they plan their careers going into the next World Test Championship cycle and the ODI World Cup being about two years away,” the source said.