India’s tour of England, consisting of five high-stakes Test matches spread across June, July and August, is right around the corner. But before the marquee series kicks off, there’s a vital curtain-raiser: a two-match four-day contest between India A and the England Lions. While fans debate over who will make the cut, close sources have revealed that the India A squad is likely to be announced in the next couple of days. The senior Test squad, meanwhile, is likely to be named around May 19th or 20th.
With Rohit Sharma having formally announced his retirement from Test cricket and rumours swirling around Virat Kohli potentially stepping away from the longest format, questions arise over lack of experience in the squad. It has added an extra layer of intrigue over captaincy and experience.
While names like Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara inevitably surface in debates and public conversations, sources suggest that the selectors are firm on their decision of not wanting to look back and are keen on investing in players who will last the entire WTC cycle. Previously, it was also reported on RevSportz that even while narrowing captaincy candidates, selectors were keen on wanting a player who will last the entire cycle, longevity being the key criteria. Selectors would rather take a fairly inexperienced middle order than go back to selecting old players. In fact it could well be that selectors are not looking to plug a gap and instead want permanent solutions.
Sources also confirmed, considering IPL’s resumption dates, some players might be asked to leave early for England, allowing them to acclimatise to the conditions better as preparation will hold the key.
