Gautam Gambhir, Ajit Agarkar, VVS Laxman summoned by BCCI? Details
What's the story
According to an Indian Express report, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has summoned head coach Gautam Gambhir, senior selection committee chairman Ajit Agarkar, and Centre of Excellence (CoE) head VVS Laxman for a meeting on Thursday. The discussion will be held at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai and is expected to focus on India's recent poor performance during overseas tours.
Delayed discussion
Meeting postponed
The meeting was originally scheduled to take place after the ODI series against England but was postponed for reasons not yet disclosed.
The agenda includes a review of India's dismal away form, particularly their recent defeats in Ireland and England.
In June, India suffered a 0-2 defeat in a two-match T20I series against Ireland, ending their unbeaten streak of 16 consecutive series over nearly three years.
Series loss
Injury management to be discussed
India's performance in the subsequent tour of England was even worse. They lost a five-match T20I series 4-0, including a 125-run defeat at Trent Bridge.
Although India bounced back in the first ODI in Birmingham, they lost the three-match series 2-1.
The defeats in Ireland and England followed a major leadership change, with Shreyas Iyer replacing Suryakumar Yadav, who led India to the ICC T20 World Cup title in March.
Communication gap
Communication gap between selectors and team management
The meeting will also focus on injury management as several players have reportedly broken down before crucial tours, raising concerns about their fitness levels.
There have been instances where the selection committee was not informed about players' fitness levels.
Notably, pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah's unavailability for a tour was reportedly not communicated to the selection committee.
Washington Sundar was also ruled out while Sai Sudharsan took longer than expected to recover.
Fitness concerns
Hardik Pandya's fitness concerns
The meeting will also address how IPL workload affects player fitness and availability at full strength for international matches.
Ahead of the three-match series against Afghanistan, four players' participation is still subject to fitness clearance.
Bumrah, Washington, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harshit Rana will undergo fitness tests on September 9.
The meeting will also focus on how to keep fast bowlers fit and reduce injury rates going forward.
Information
Update on Hardik Pandya
The BCCI and team management will also discuss Hardik Pandya's fitness. Hardik, who last played an ODI in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy final, will miss the Afghanistan T20Is. His fitness is crucial for India, with the ODI World Cup approaching.