Gautam Gambhir adamantly stated that Virat Kohli and the new India coach “share a very good relationship off the field and will continue to do that,” during the pre-departure press conference to Sri Lanka for a white-ball series on Monday.
Despite multiple confrontations in the Indian Premier League (IPL) over the years, Gambhir said the two individuals we’ll be on the same page to “try and make India proud.”
“It’s good for the TRP, but our relationship is not public. What kind of a relationship I share with Virat Kohli... I think it’s between two mature individuals. On the field, everyone has the right to fight for their own jersey and come back to a winning dressing room.”
Jadeja’s future
Ravindra Jadeja “still within the scheme of things and very important as a player,” Ajit Agarkar clarified. | Photo Credit: PTI
Ravindra Jadeja wasn’t included in India’s ODI squad that will be travelling to Sri Lanka for three games in first week of August later. The exclusion raised questions whether the spin bowling all-rounder will be playing any more white ball cricket - having already announced his T20I retirement post the T20 World Cup win.
However, Ajit Agarkar, the chairman of the senior selection committee, made it clear that Jadeja hasn’t been dropped but preserved for the upcoming Test season.
“It would have been pointless to take both him and Axar (Patel) for this short series. We know what Jaddu has done. He’s had a terrific World Cup (T20). So, no, he’s not at all dropped,” Agarkar said.
“All options are open. But there was (a chance that) either of them would have played all three games if we’d taken both. There’s a big Test season coming up where he’s (Jadeja) likely to feature in a lot of the Tests. I don’t think three games would have mattered,” Agarkar added.
When is Mohammed Shami returning?
India’s star fast bowler Mohammed Shami has been out of action since the ODI World Cup last year due to injury.
Agarkar confirmed that all efforts are being made to get Shami back for the Test series against Bangladesh in September.
“He has started to bowl. The first Test is on 19th September. That was always the goal [him making a comeback by that time]. Whether he can make it back to the squad by that time, I’ll have to speak with the guys at the NCA,” Agarkar said.
Suryakumar over Hardik Pandya for T20I captaincy
After Rohit Sharma announced his T20I retirement, Hardik Pandya - vice captain during T20 World Cup - looked set to be the heir apparent. The star all-rounder had already led India in the absence of Rohit in the last one year.
However, it was Suryakumar Yadav that surpassed him in the captaincy race.
“Why was Surya made the captain? Because he is one of the deserving candidates,” Agarkar replied. “The one we know has been around the dressing room over the last year and we got feedback from the dressing room too. He has got a good cricketing brain, and he is still one of the best T20 batters in the world,” Agarkar said, insisting that the committee decided to appoint a captain who’s going to be available in the park ‘more often than not’.
“You (would) want a captain that’s going to be more likely to play all the games. We think he’s a deserving candidate and hopefully we’ll see over time how he develops into the role,” Agarkar added.
But what happens to Pandya?
Ajit Agarkar insisted that the committee decided to appoint a captain who’s going to be available in the park ‘more often than not’. | Photo Credit: REUTERS
“He (Hardik) is still a very important player for us. We want him to be the player that he can be because those sorts of skill sets are very difficult to find,” Agarkar said.
“Fitness, obviously, has been a challenge for him over the last few years and then it becomes a little bit more difficult for him and even as selectors,” the chief selector said, adding that Pandya has been filled in with the change of role.
India’s new assistant coaches
During the press conference, Gambhir also confirmed that Abhishek Nayar and Ryan Ten Doeschate have been appointed as the assistant coaches.
“The crux of the support staff will remain as they are. The rest of the staff will be finalised after the Sri Lanka tour. Abhishek and Ryan will be the assistant coaches, while T. Dilip will continue as the fielding coach,” Gambhir said.
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