Rohit Sharma’s future and injury issues will be discussed at BCCI’s assessment meeting on Thursday
Injury management of key players heading into the crucial full-format tour of New Zealand and the wider plan for next year’s ODI World Cup will be key points of discussion at the BCCI’s review meeting in Mumbai on Thursday featuring head coach Gautam Gambhir and chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar.
The roadmap discussions will also include the future of three veterans: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja, who will be participating in the ODI World Cup. While the latter are not yet under significant pressure, the former has been under fire.
It was widely speculated that Rohit was told by a member of the selection committee (not the chairman) that the panel had decided to move on. Rohit was asked if he would take advantage of his career after the Lord’s ODI during the recent tour of England.
While the former captain and those close to him maintained a stoic silence, it was heard that Rohit, though angry, agreed. However, after his classic ton at Lord’s, albeit in a lost causethe possibility of retirement has been ruled out, at least for the time being.
Despite this, it cannot be said with certainty that Rohit will board a flight bound for South Africa next year.
The debacle in June and July in the UK is expected to be debated at length, but it is also understood that stakeholders, including BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, want to look ahead.
Head of Center of Excellence VVS Laxman is also expected to attend the meeting. A New Zealand tour is scheduled for October to November.
INJURY RELATED TIMELINES
Hardik Pandya hasn’t played competitive cricket since IPL (PTI Photo)
Those following the latest developments in Indian cricket say Agarkar and Gambhir could have very specific questions about the injured centrally contracted and targeted players undergoing rehabilitation at the Bengaluru-based COE.
“The head of selection was informally advised before the Sri Lanka Tests that Jasprit Bumrah would be fit for at least one if not two Tests. He actually wrote an email to the COE trying to clarify Bumrah’s absence.”
“His (Bumrah) absence was felt in the second Test where Siraj looked distinctly off-colour on a quiet track. Ditto for Hardik Pandya, who has not played anything after the IPL and is important as far as the ODI World Cup is concerned,” a BCCI source told PTI on condition of anonymity.
While it is very difficult to set a specific date for any player’s return because bodies and types of injuries vary, at times the COE sports science team has often been unable to provide even an approximate timeline.
It is very necessary for Agarkar and Gambhir to have an idea about the availability of some important players which is crucial for strategic planning for the marquee and big ICC events.
For example, Pandya has shifted his base to Bengaluru, rented a house and plans to train there in the near future.
However, the team management and the selection committee are clear that unless the COE decides that he is fit for 10 overs, they will not pick him for 50 overs cricket.
Pandya never hesitated to play against Afghanistan as he is not part of the Asian Games squad.
Pacer Akash Deep has been on the COE for several months now and has not played any international cricket. There are questions about his availability against New Zealand A before the start of the Test series.
If you look at the team selected for the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan to be played in New Delhi from September 13, the selection committee named four injured players – Bumrah, Washington, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harshit Rana – on fitness basis.
All four adhere to “Return To Play” protocols. The ball is now firmly in the side of the Laxman-led COE.
The challenge for the COE now is to get these injured players on the park by ensuring they are fit enough to go through a match simulation, the final step before the COE declares the player fit.
There have been cases where players, despite going for fitness tests and following “Return to Play” protocols, have been found to be clearly overweight.
Two such players – one a T20 opening specialist and a young burly pacer – were overweight when they joined the England tour.
AGARKAR’S FUTURE
Agarkar’s current contract expires on October 4 but as he is called for a review meeting, the BCCI, it seems, may be interested in maintaining continuity till the end of the ODI World Cup.
And while trying to ensure operational harmony in the various divisions, the BCCI would also like the key players involved, Gambhir, Agarkar and Laxman, to remain on the same page.
– The end
Issued by:
Akshay Ramesh
Published on:
02 Sep 2026 18:26 IST