BCCI summons Gambhir, Agarkar for urgent meeting amid Kohli-Rohit concerns
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has called a meeting with head coach Gautam Gambhir and selection committee chairman Ajit Agarkar. The meeting is scheduled ahead of the second ODI against South Africa on Wednesday, as per Sportstar. Other top officials are also expected to attend the discussion, including BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia and joint secretary Prabhtej Singh Bhatia.
Meeting to address 'selection consistency' and team performance
The meeting's main agenda is to ensure "selection consistency" in the team while keeping long-term development and overall performance in mind. This comes after India's recent home Test series loss against South Africa, where certain flaws were identified. The BCCI hopes that with both Gambhir and Agarkar present at the meeting, they can get clarity on these issues and plan future steps accordingly.
Communication gaps between management and senior players
The meeting also hints at possible communication gaps between the management and senior players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. There were speculations about BCCI wanting Kohli to reverse his Test retirement, but the batting stalwart put an end to such rumors after the Ranchi ODI on Sunday. The board is also worried about their match-readiness, prompting this high-stakes meeting in Raipur ahead of the second ODI.
BCCI to discuss future roles of Rohit and Kohli
The upcoming BCCI meeting will be attended by top officials, head coach Gambhir, and chief selector Agarkar. They are expected to discuss the ODI futures of Rohit and Kohli as well as plans for the 2027 ODI World Cup. A source from BCCI emphasized that it is important for players like Rohit and Kohli to have clarity about their roles in the current management setup.
BCCI to identify back-up players for Rohit and Kohli
The management and selectors are also looking at identifying back-up players for Rohit and Kohli, if needed. Despite not showing any intention of retiring before the 2027 ODI World Cup, there are concerns over long gaps in their schedules and their ability to regain form at the start of an ODI series. This was seen in Australia where India lost the ODI series by the time Kohli and Rohit found their rhythm.