The Indian cricket team, on Thursday, skipped the optional practice session ahead of the opening Test against South Africa, while skipper Virat Kohli also gave the pre-match press briefing a miss, a noticeable departure from convention for a bilateral engagement.
Virat Kohli's aura in Indian cricket has grown exponentially over the past few years but contrary to popular perception, he has never wielded 'disproportionate influence' when it comes to policy decisions, says Committee of Administrators (COA) chief Vinod Rai.
The selection committee meeting to pick the Indian team for the one-day series against England will go ahead on Friday despite the BCCI being hit by administrative crisis following the latest Supreme Court order. The BCCI announced that the selection panel headed by former India wicketkeeper MSK Prasad will gather in Mumbai on Friday to pick the Indian team for England series, comprising three ODIs and as many T20 Internationals, starting January 15. The selectors will also pick the India A squad for two warm-up matches against England to be held at CCI, Mumbai.
India captain Virat Kohli has put forward a number of demands during a meeting with the Committee of Administrators (COA) in Hyderabad including permission for wives to accompany players for the full overseas tour, a reserved train coach during next year's ODI World Cup in England, a hotel with proper gymnasium, and bananas.
Sehwag feels that retirement is Dhoni's individual call but selectors must speak to him before announcing the West Indies squad.
COA Meet on Wednesday: Team management, selectors to discuss 'communication' issues, Australia tour
The BCCI will be organising a six-week camp for its top cricketers some time next month and speculation has started on whether former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni will be part of it. While the BCCI is waiting for a safe time and venue for the camp after third week of July. In case it's not possible, players will probably go in for their respective IPL camps later during the year.
Jasprit Bumrah's much-awaited comeback to competitive cricket was halted due to "over restriction mandate" from the Indian team management. The Indian team's support staff's unofficial guideline that Bumrah "shouldn't be bowling more than 8 to 9 overs" didn't amuse the Gujarat team management which wants to win a match.
BCCI president Sourav Ganguly on Friday said that a Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) will be formed in the next couple of days to announce the new selection panel on a three-year tenure. Ganguly said the CAC will be appointed only for one meeting to decide the selectors as the appointment of the men's head coach has already been done by the previous panel led by former captain Kapil Dev.
Pant and Rayudu's exclusion from the squad of 15 had created quite a stir on Monday. While Sunil Gavaskar called Pant's omission surprising, the snub to Rayudu was questioned by Gautam Gambhir.
Dhoni, on his part, has not uttered a word on his future course of action.
'Hardik is also set to go the United Kingdom to consult the same doctor, who had treated him during the first injury post Asia Cup. He is certainly not playing the Bangladesh series but how long he will be out is still not clear. We will know after he comes back from the United Kingdom'
Rishabh Pant, on Thursday, earned a maiden call-up to the Indian ODI team, replacing Dinesh Karthik for the first two games against the West Indies.
'They are in the process of building a new team. But from what I watched in the first Test, some of the players are really good. You can't just rule Australia out of the series. Of course India are more superior but again they have to continue playing good cricket'
Jatin Paranjpe and Gagan Khoda are set to be removed from the BCCI senior selection panel after the Board was clearly told to trim to the panel to three members in place of five, as recommended by the Supreme Court-appointed Lodha Committee.
The support staff will be appointed for a period of two years beginning from the series against South Africa till the end of the 2021 T20 World Cup to be held in India.
'Time has come for Indian selectors to pick same players in all formats of the game for rhythm and confidence' Former India skipper Sourav Ganguly on Wednesday said he was surprised to not see Shubman Gill and Ajinkya Rahane in the ODI squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against West Indies. In a tweet, Ganguly wrote, "There are many in the squad who can play all formats ..surprised not to see Shubman gill ..Rahane in the one-day squad". "Time has come for Indian selectors to pick same players in all formats of the game for rhythm and confidence.. too few are playing in all formats ..great teams had consistent players ..it's not about making all happy but picking the best for the country and be consistent..@bcci," Ganguly tweeted. On Sunday, India had announced the squads for the upcoming T20Is, ODIs and Test match series against West Indies. Many people expressed their displeasure over the omission of Gill from the squad as the player enjoyed good form in the recently-concluded five-match unofficial ODI series between India A and West Indies A. The player went on to amass 218 runs in the series against West Indies A. After India were knocked out of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in the semi-finals, former BCCI Secretary, Sanjay Jagdale had backed Rahane to be the number four batsman in the ODI format. "In my opinion, the Indian team needs a batsman like Ajinkya Rahane at number four. We have tried many options at the batting position for the past three months. We tried those batsmen who did not have a good record overseas. Rahane has always scored good runs in England," Jagdale had told ANI. Team India chief selector MSK Prasad on Sunday had announced the squads at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai for the upcoming series in Windies. Putting all speculations to rest about India captain Virat Kohli's participation in the limited-overs series, he was chosen to lead the team in all formats. Dhawan, who was ruled out of the World Cup after sustaining an injury to his left hand in the region between the index finger and thumb, returned for both ODIs and T20Is. Meanwhile, fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah was rested for three ODIs and as many T20Is. Veteran wicket-keeper batsman MS Dhoni was rested as well; Rishabh Pant will be keeping the wickets for the team. Pant has been named across all three formats and Wriddhiman Saha found a spot in the two Tests.
KL Rahul is the likely first choice in white-ball cricket for the foreseeable future, feel three former India wicket-keepers.
Pacer Jasprit Bumrah has been rested for the three-match T20Is and ODIs against West Indies but has been included in the Test squad, while veteran wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni is 'unavailable' for the entire tour.
Under fire due to a stinging status report filed by the Supreme Court-appointed Justice RM Lodha Committee, the Board of Control for Cricket in India is likely to remove senior national selectors Gagan Khoda and Jatin Paranjpe when the members meet for SGM this Friday.
Legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar would have been dropped from India's ODI team in 2012, had he not announced his retirement, former chief selector Sandeep Patil revealed in an interview ABP Majha on Wednesday. Patil, who has been succeeded by former India wicketkeeper MSK Prasad, said the then selectors had met Tendulkar in December, 2012 in Nagpur during India's Test against England to ask him about his plans.
Whether the selector will have a vote in choosing the playing XI is still not clear.
Finding it difficult to understand parameters of team selection, says Harbhajan
Fit again Rohit Sharma and Mohammad Shami on Monday staged comeback in India's 15-member ODI squad.
Having taken up Test captaincy from M S Dhoni in the middle of a series in Australia back in 2014, Virat Kohi changed the way India played the five-day game.
The selectors may allow the India off-spinner to complete his remaining two matches for Worcestershire in English county cricket.
Pant is likely to do simulation training in Bengaluru by keeping on tracks that offer turn, in order to get ready for the decks that will be on offer in Rajkot and Hyderabad.
Interestingly, the two players were named in the 15-member squad in place of Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah, with the Board of Control for Cricket in India not specifying any reason for leaving out the two players.
While many experts believe Dhoni is a spent force, Azharuddin felt he can still continue if he has the drive and a body that is 100 per cent fit.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni's shadow, the 20-year-old left-hander did a good job of venting any frustration with a blistering century in the Indian Premier League (IPL) at Feroz Shah Kotla on Thursday.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India is all set to monitor workload of top 50 Indian cricketers, starting with the seven-week Indian Premier League, and will create a database for their workload and injury management to keep them fresh for big international assignments.
Not having Pant on that plane to England is a bigger surprise considering his stellar performances
India gets new face in pace attack
Ganguly himself faced the heat after allegations of conflict of interest were levelled against him for his dual role as the president of Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) and mentor of IPL franchise Delhi Capitals.
The Indian team regularly undergoes a series of fitness tests with 'Yo-Yo' endurance test being the most important of them.
Indian cricket ushered in a new era as Virat Kohli was officially anointed captain for all three formats as he took over from Mahendra Singh Dhoni as India's limited overs captain from the series against England, starting on January 15.
It's for MSK Prasad's committee to decide whether they want to look back or move forward.
Birthday-boy Abhimanyu Mithun savoured a rare hat-trick as Karnataka lifted the Vijay Hazare Trophy with a 60-run victory over Tamil Nadu in a rain-hit final, in Bengaluru.
Speculations may be rife that Yuvraj Singh's career is nearing the end but chief selector MSK Prasad on Monday clarified.
Selection committee chairman MSK Prasad made it clear that the Gujarat speedster's 'workload management' is paramount for him.
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