IND vs AFG: Indian team selected for Afghanistan series tomorrow, suspense on Rohit-Bumrah, Kohli’s entry decided.
Guwahati. When the national selectors on Tuesday pick the Indian team for next month’s one-off Test and three-match ODI series against Afghanistan, there will be a special discussion on fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah’s workload management (the process of controlling physical and mental pressure to protect players from injury) and Rohit Sharma’s match fitness. The final of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is to be played in Ahmedabad on May 31, while in a gap of less than a week, the only Test match of the Afghanistan tour will be played in Mullanpur (New Chandigarh) from June 6.
The ODI matches will be played in Dharamshala, Lucknow and Chennai on June 14, 17 and 20 respectively. It is unlikely that Bumrah will be selected for both formats, as there is no rush to play him immediately in ODIs. The 50-over World Cup is still a long way off (October-November 2027). At the same time, Rohit Sharma’s fitness also remains a matter of concern.
He was out of many matches of Mumbai Indians due to a hamstring injury during the IPL. Even in the last match against Punjab Kings, he batted only as an ‘impact player’. In such a situation, the selectors will include him in the team only when he is completely fit. On the other hand, Virat Kohli has proved his usefulness again by showing excellent form in the IPL. Like Rohit, Kohli, who now plays only one format, has every possibility of playing in all three ODI matches against Afghanistan.
The most importance is being given to the one-off Test match, as in recent times the Indian team has been seen struggling in the traditional format, especially in home conditions. The batsmen’s weaknesses have consistently emerged on spin-friendly pitches. This problem was clearly exposed in the home series against South Africa in November last year. After Cheteshwar Pujara, the number three batting order in the Test team has not been stable yet. Sai Sudarshan got opportunities, but he could not live up to the expectations.
Now it is expected that Devdutt Padikkal will be given continuous opportunities from the beginning of the domestic season. Aaqib Nabi, who led Jammu and Kashmir to the historic Ranji Trophy title, can also be a part of the selectors’ discussion. He performed brilliantly and took 60 wickets in the entire season. Prince Yadav, who impressed with his fast pace and accurate bowling in the IPL, can be tried in the ODI series.
If Bumrah is not a part of the team, then Mohammed Siraj can be seen leading the attack. Prasidh Krishna is also likely to join the team. All-rounder Hardik Pandya is also suffering from back spasms. His fitness has been a constant cause of concern during the IPL. In such a situation, there is still doubt over his availability for the ODI series.
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