India vs WI Series: Hardik Pandya or Venkatesh Iyer? – Selectors will have a big decision to make when they meet for the selection meeting this week. It will be dominated by discussions on whether Hardik Pandya should be recalled, dropping Venkatesh Iyer after just two series. Follow IND vs WI Live Updates on InsideSport.IN.
Hardik Pandya has been bowling in the nets and even though it is not clear whether he can bowl full tilt but Venkatesh Iyer’s relative inexperience at No.6 and Rahul Dravid’s admission that the colourful Baroda man was missed, can pave the way for his comeback against the West Indies.
India vs WI Series: Selectors have BIG decision to make, Hardik Pandya or Venkatesh Iyer for Windies series – Follow Live Updates
The selectors and the team management wanted Hardik Pandya to play domestic cricket before making a comeback. However, the Ranji Trophy had to be postponed due to the third wave of Covid and the players do not have enough time to prove their worth in the domestic circuit. Hence, Hardik could still be in plans.
However, dropping Venkatesh Iyer will not be an easy decision as the KKR all-rounder is still settling into the team and both Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma wanted to give him more time.
India vs WI Series: Selectors have BIG decision to make, Hardik Pandya or Venkatesh Iyer for Windies series – Follow Live Updates
The other big decision will be regarding Jasprit Bumrah. The star pacer was rested for the New Zealand series at home but had 40 days of gruelling cricket with minimum breaks in between. To manage his workload, he could be rested from the limited-overs series.
Jasprit Bumrah played all six games in South Africa which included three Tests and three 50-over games, and sent down the highest number of overs (104.5 overs in Tests and 30 in ODIs).
India vs WI Series: Selectors have BIG decision to make, Hardik Pandya or Venkatesh Iyer for Windies series – Follow Live Updates
Bhuvneshwar Kumar to be dropped – However, the team selection meeting, which is set to happen this week, will be an interesting one as some senior players like Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Ravichandran Ashwin, after their indifferent performance against South Africa in their 0-3 ODI series defeat, will come under the scanner.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar, whose form has tapered off, might be dropped while Ashwin might get one more series as the South Africa white-ball leg was his comeback in ODIs.
The likes of Avesh Khan and Harshal Patel could once again make it to the T20 team.
Rohit Sharma fit and ready – India’s white-ball captain Rohit Sharma is “fit” and ready to lead the side against the West Indies in a six-match white-ball series starting February 6 with the three ODIs in Ahmedabad.
India vs WI Series: Selectors have BIG decision to make, Hardik Pandya or Venkatesh Iyer for Windies series – Follow Live Updates
But Rohit is ready to lead the side after a left hamstring injury ruled him out of the South Africa tour. The T20 matches against the Caribbean team are set to be held from February 16 to 20 in Kolkata.
“Rohit is fit and available for the series against the West Indies. By the time the West Indies series starts, it will be more than seven and half weeks of rehabilitation and recuperation for Rohit. He is already training in Mumbai and is expected to be in Bangalore for the fitness test and get a formal okay from the National Cricket Academy,” the source informed,” PTI quoted a BCCI official as saying.
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Rohit set to be named Test captain – It is almost certain that for the time being, Rohit will be named the Test captain although the BCCI will be looking at other options considering his workload and the responsibility that comes with leading India in two back-to-back World Cups in 2022 and 2023.
India vs WI Series: Selectors have BIG decision to make, Hardik Pandya or Venkatesh Iyer for Windies series – Follow Live Updates
It is understood that KL Rahul’s first stint as captain hasn’t gone as per expectations and for now, he will have to remain an apprentice under Rohit till he is seen to be ready to lead the national team in near future.
Under Rahul, India lost all four international games in South Africa and for men who matter in Indian cricket, he hasn’t exactly come across as a proactive captain.
It is understood that Rahul’s performance as Lucknow Super Giants captain will be keenly monitored during this edition of the IPL.
India vs WI Series: Selectors have BIG decision to make, Hardik Pandya or Venkatesh Iyer for Windies series – Follow Live Updates
Editors pick
