India Test team likely to tour Sri Lanka this week; selectors worried for Washington Sundar | Cricket News
New Delhi: Men’s Senior Selection Committee, chaired by Ajit Agarkarare likely to select the squad for the upcoming two-Test tour of Sri Lanka starting on August 15 in Galle. Informal discussions were held during England’s white-ball tour and a formal meeting will be held soon for the crucial series. It is reported that the selectors are awaiting clarification from Washington Sundar, who suffered an injury during the three-match ODI series. The all-rounder was forced to miss the series decider at Lord’s and is likely to visit the BCCI Center of Excellence (CoE) to seek necessary clearances.Official sources from the Indian Cricket Board mentioned a right hamstring injury. TimesofIndia.com learned that although the pain subsided after he arrived in London, he was asked to undergo a scan and the results were later shared with experts for advice. It is further understood that even if it is just a strain or grade one injury, the 26-year-old player may need at least two weeks to fully return to game condition. It remains to be seen how the selectors will handle the situation in Washington as the Indian team is likely to leave for Sri Lanka as early as August 4 to begin preparations. The Shubman Gill-led side will also take part in a four-day warm-up match before the test in Galle.There will be changes to the squad for last month’s one-off Test against Afghanistan, with players such as Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja expected to return. It remains to be seen whether Harsh Dube retains his place if Washington fails to get fit or if the selectors opt for an off-spin player like Saransh Jain to maintain variety in the spin attack. Manav Suthar and Kuldeep Yadav are likely to retain their places, while the pace attack is expected to consist of Mohammed Siraj, Gurnoor Brar and Prasidh Krishna. Jadeja was not selected for the series against Afghanistan after the IPL, but Agarkar insisted that the experienced all-rounder remains the “number one spinner in the tournament”. Batting-wise, the usual names will continue, with two all-rounders Nitish Kumar Reddy and Sundar likely to take the decision. Will the selectors go for the seam-bowling all-rounder, who is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the CoE, or will they look for specialists? These calls will be interesting for this originally expected team.India, under head coach Gautam Gambhir, struggled in Test matches and were whitewashed domestically by New Zealand and South Africa. They need a strong series in Sri Lanka to keep their chances of qualifying for the World Test Championship finals alive. After the tour of Sri Lanka, India will play New Zealand in New Zealand before taking on Australia at home for a five-match Test series.
Post Comment