Ravindra Jadeja is likely to miss out on India’s tour of Bangladesh as the team management does not want to rush his recovery process. If Jadeja misses out on the tour, it may open the doors for Shahbaz Ahmed - who was initially named in India’s ODI squad for the tour of New Zealand - in the white ball team in case the Board decides to send a replacement.
However, with already three spinners in its ranks, it needs to be seen if the team management seeks a replacement for the longer format.
While picking Jadeja for the tour of Bangladesh last month, the BCCI had said that his availability is ‘subject to fitness’. Though Board officials remained tight-lipped, sources have indicated that the 33-year-old all-rounder, who has been out of action since the Asia Cup, is yet to attain full fitness and factoring in all the aspects, the team management and the Board want him to be absolutely fit before allowing him to don the India colours again.
Ahead of the T20 World Cup, the selectors had rushed Jasprit Bumrah to return from an injury. But the move backfired as the pace spearhead missed out on the ICC event, and taking lessons from that, the team management does not want to take further risks.
Shahbaz, the spin all-rounder from Bengal, was part of the New Zealand tour for the ODIs, but he did not travel with the team and is currently featuring in the Vijay Hazare Trophy for Bengal. It is believed that he has been asked to be ready ‘in case’ an opportunity arrives for the tour of Bangladesh.
Last week, the BCCI decided to reconstitute the selection panel and has invited applications for all the five national selectors. But last month, the Chetan Sharma-led panel had picked the squads for the New Zealand tour and also for the tour of Bangladesh.
India’s ODI series against Bangladesh begins on December 4 in Mirpur. The next two games will be played on December 7 and December 10, respectively. The two-match Test series will begin from December 14 and the second Test will begin from December 22.
