The Indian senior cricket selectors have sprung a surprise by going for six separate teams for India and India ‘A’ in all three formats for the upcoming packed international schedule. India is playing Afghanistan in the one-off test match at Bengaluru in June and will be going to England and Ireland to play three T20s and as many ODIs against England, and a two-match T20 series against Ireland. The India ‘A’ team will also be touring England for a One Day tri-series and other four-day matches. The MSK Prasad-led Selection committee seems to have burnt the midnight oil to pick the teams considering the stiff competition at various levels for a berth in the Indian team. A decade back, the domestic Ranji trophy performance was the sole criterion for a player to impress the selectors. But the advent of the IPL has not only provided a solid platform for the players to shine but it has helped the selectors to choose from a vast talent pool.
The biggest selection takeaway from the latest teams’ selection is no player can take his place for granted in any format of the game. It may not be a misplaced opinion to say that only skipper Virat Kohli is an absolute certainty in the team in all three forms of the game. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah, who have been rested, come a close second and third. Now, Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Umesh Yadav and Hardik Pandya find themselves in tests, ODIs and T20s but none of these players are sure-shot choices.
The young guns, Prithvi Shaw and Shubman Gill are destined to greater things as evidenced by call to India ‘A’. Both are in top form in the IPL, and it is only a matter of time for another lad, Shivam Mavi. India cap for that “helicopter shot” boy, Ishan Kishan, too, does not look too far away. The selectors appear to be toying with the suggestion of India ‘A’ coach Rahul Dravid that representing India ‘A’ team be made compulsory for being baptised into the India team.
