It is now clear that Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav will not be available as their nominees for the T20I series against Afghanistan starting next week. His absence has created a dilemma for Ajit Agarkar and his selection committee in the Twenty20 format.
Their dilemma revolves around choosing between a tried and tested candidate, Rohit Sharma, or a leap of faith with someone like Shubman Gill. The other viable options for selectors include Ravindra Jadeja and Shreyas Iyer but that is not the main issue for the selectors.
We understand that the issue is that the selectors are still undecided on whether to focus on the coming five months before the Twenty20 World Cup or look to the future and groom a young player. A decision in this regard will be taken during the selection committee meeting to be held today in the next few hours.
Insiders say it won’t be an easy call. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were asked for their views on playing T20Is and they have reportedly made themselves available for the format, ready for their comeback after more than a year. His last T20I was during the T20 World Cup 2022 semi-final against England in Australia on November 10, 2022.
While the mood of the selection committee is towards planning for the future and providing experience to the youngsters, the selectors are equally sensitive to Rohit’s exceptional leadership and batting skills in recent times. When Rohit presents a claim, it is not easy to ignore it.
Ajit Agarkar and his associates Shiv Sunder Das and Salil Ankola are currently in Cape Town. He will contact Subrata Banerjee and S Sharath in India if the call comes. Rahul Dravid’s role cannot be underestimated at this point. The head coach will have an important role in decision-making.
Hardik Pandya, who is still yet to fully recover from the injury that ruled him out of most of the World Cup matches last year, released a video of his fitness. He is expected to be fit for the Indian Premier League (IPL) in which he will lead the Mumbai Indians team. Suryakumar Yadav has suffered an ankle injury and will be out of action for at least a month.
Also Read – IND vs AFG: Virat and Rohit wish to play T20 World Cup, Probably both will not play in the IND vs AFG series
