The Indian cricket team's packed schedule has put the national selectors in a challenging position as they prepare to finalize the fast bowling lineup for the one-off Test against Afghanistan, scheduled to be held in Chandigarh starting June 6. Sources indicate that the selectors have a meeting planned with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to outline the roadmap for the coming months. The selection meeting is expected to take place over the weekend or early next week.
Selectors Aim for Strongest XI
It is understood that both the selectors and the team management are keen to field the strongest possible playing XI in every Test match. India is set to play nine Tests in the World Test Championship (WTC) cycle over the next nine months, although the Afghanistan Test is not part of that cycle. The primary dilemma revolves around whether to risk the frontline fast bowlers for this Test, given that the Indian Premier League (IPL) concludes on May 31.
According to sources, the selectors are waiting to see which teams advance to the IPL playoffs before making a decision on the pace attack. As of Tuesday, only Lucknow Super Giants and Mumbai Indians have been eliminated from playoff contention. Among these two teams, Jasprit Bumrah is the sole fast bowler who is a regular in India's Test setup. However, managing Bumrah's workload has been a sensitive issue for several years. Other Test regulars like Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna are part of the Gujarat Titans, who are still in the running for playoffs late in May.
Injury Concerns and Future Prospects
Akash Deep is recovering from a lower-back injury and is unlikely to be fit in the near future. Harshit Rana is also expected to be unavailable until at least the third week of June. The selectors have indicated that they have moved on from Mohammed Shami, making it highly unlikely that they will recall him for a one-off Test. Sources reveal that the BCCI's targeted list of fast bowlers has been asked to increase their workload during the remainder of the IPL. Anshul Kamboj and Gurnoor Brar have been part of the India 'A' setup over the past year. Another pacer who could be in contention is Jammu and Kashmir's Auqib Nabi, who has impressed in first-class cricket over the last couple of seasons, though he is not part of the India 'A' program.
It remains to be seen whether the selectors will deviate from the pathway they have established for Test aspirants. Prince Yadav has caught the selectors' attention but has not yet undergone the rigorous preparation required.
BCCI's Workload Management
“The selectors don’t believe in compromising the Test squad just because India are playing Afghanistan. They want the best lineup to play. They don’t want to distribute Test caps so easily. Siraj’s workload threshold is very high. Prasidh hasn’t played an IPL match since April 24. Nitish Kumar Reddy is also seen as someone who can contribute to the seam-bowling department. The BCCI monitors all data points when it comes to workload management,” a BCCI source said, adding, “A call on Bumrah will be taken after a detailed discussion. The last time India played Afghanistan in a Test match, the frontline XI was played.”
All frontline batters are expected to be selected for the one-off Test.
