Mumbai: The Indian team will be selected today, Saturday, for the upcoming Champions Trophy cricket tournament and the preceding ODI series against England. All eyes will be on the availability of star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah.
The selection committee will meet in the morning, and the team will be announced at a press conference around 12:30 PM at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The BCCI confirmed in a statement that chairman of the selection committee Ajit Agarkar and captain Rohit Sharma will be present at the press conference.
The Agarkar-led committee will have to make some tough decisions while selecting the Indian team. Bumrah had injured his back during the crucial fifth Test against Australia in early January, and he was unable to bowl in the second innings of that Test. This has raised concerns about his fitness. Bumrah has been advised rest, and his fitness is being closely monitored by physios at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. However, it is still uncertain whether he will be available for the Champions Trophy.
It will also be interesting to see if 23-year-old opener Yashasvi Jaiswal gets his first chance in the ODI team. Jaiswal has been outstanding in Test cricket over the past year, and now there is talk of his inclusion in the ODI team as well. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, and KL Rahul are considered to be guaranteed spots in the Indian team. Rahul is expected to take charge of wicketkeeping duties, with competition between Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, and Dhruv Jurel for the second wicketkeeper spot.
Another point of interest is whether Karun Nair, who is in form, will be considered for selection. There is also uncertainty about Kuldeep Yadav’s fitness as a bowler. Although he has started training, if he is unavailable to play, one of the spinners — Varun Chakravarthy or Ravi Bishnoi — may get the opportunity to feature in the squad.
