Mumbai: The national selection committee for Cricket to meet in Mumbai on Wednesday to select the host team for the upcoming Test series against England commencing in Rajkot on November 9.
“The Indian team is to be picked in Mumbai tomorrow,” BCCI sources told PTI on Tuesday.
Due to the influx of injuries over the past few months, choosing the players wisely will be a task.
Even though India beat New Zealand in the last test (3-0), MSK Prasad- the head of the selection panel, to undertake crucial decisions in crafting the new team for this five-match rubber.
Dilatory recoveries didn’t deem Ishant Sharma and KL Rahul fit for the second Test at Kolkata, providing a window for the selectors to call upon veteran opener Gautam Gambhir and off break bowler Jayant Yadav.
However, pacer Ishant Sharma to likely make a comeback on his recovery, this five-match game.
Gambhir did not get an opportunity to revive his career after a two year gap at Eden Gardens, but redeemed his chance when Shikhar Dhawan who underwent a finger injury was ruled out of the third and final test at Indore.
Even though Karun Nair was chosen in Dhawan’s place, he did not make it in the playing-eleven.
Rahul and Dhawan both may be deemed fit to play this game and it’ll thus, be amusing to see if Gambhir has done enough in Indore scoring a half century for the home team, coupled with shooting for a 147 in Delhi’s last Ranji match against Odisha, to stay in the current squad.
Ishant Sharma holding a promising track record, may also be a part of the squad, as he recovers from Chikungunya.
KL Rahul’s throbbing hamstring strain coupled with Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s ankle injury, heightens the chances of retaining the rest of the squad, headed by Virat Kohli.
Rival team to arrive at Mumbai after a draw match from Bangladesh on Wednesday, with one prescribe session on November 5 at the Cricket Club of India before leaving for the venue of the opening Test, Rajkot, according to BCCI sources.
“Currently they are to have just one practice session. If they want more it will be arranged,” the sources informed.
English team to assemble at the Rajkot grounds either in the evening of November 5 or the following day. The host team to arrive on November 5 evening, BCCI sources added.
The Tests are to be held in Rajkot (Nov 5-13), Vishakapatnam (Nov 17-21), Mohali (Nov 26-30), Mumbai (Dec 8-12) and Chennai (Dec 16-20).