India squad for England ODIs, T20s to be picked in 1st week of January 2017?
Mumbai: Team India coach Anil Kumble is all set to hold a training camp for the players, before narrowing down on the squad for the three ODIs and three T20Is against England, next year.
The limited overs series gets underway with the first ODI in Pune, on Sunday, January 15. Kumble and the selection committee have adopted a rotation policy with the players, keeping slightly different squads in the longer and the shorter versions of the game. Media reports suggest that the Indian squad for the limited overs series will be picked after the training camp, in the first week of January.
With key players like Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja likely to be rested for the shorter version during this long season, a number of the fringe players may again get a chance. Paceman Mohammed Shami and all-rounder Jayant Yadav have also been ruled out of the series due to injury.
Spinner Axar Patel, who was not in the Test squad, will also not be in contention for selection, due to a finger injury.
However, since there is a long gap between the Test and the ODI series against England the staff have decided to hold a training camp ahead of the tournament, according to reports.
The likes of Hardik Pandya and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who were both a part of the India Test squad, did not get much action during the five-match series. With some of the key players likely to be rested, both Pandya and Bhuvneshwar stand a chance of breaking into the starting lineup. Some reports also suggest that left-arm pacemen Ashish Nehra may also be called-up for the limited overs series.
The training camp could help them get back to full fitness ahead of the series. It would also afford Ajinkya Rahane, who is racing against time to recover from a finger injury, some time to put himself back into contention for selection.
Interestingly, India limited overs captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has not played competitive cricket for around two months, after the completion of the five-ODI series against New Zealand.
Playing in the England series may become a problem for Dhoni, as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has recently mandated players to take part in some sort of First Class or List A cricket, before appearing for the national side.
The 2011 ICC World Cup winning captain may have to play in England’s two matches against the Board President’s XI before the ODI series, in order to make himself eligible to play, according to reports.
