New Delhi: The Indian men’s senior selection committee, chaired by Ajit Agarkar, will meet on May 19 to pick squads for the one-off Test and ODIs against Afghanistan, with the blueprint for the 2027 ODI World Cup also set to be discussed. Deliberations on key matters — fitness, form and the identified player pool for the multi-nation event — are expected to reflect in the Shubman Gill-led squad assembling for the three ODIs starting June 14.Discussions on the future of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are also on the agenda, as the team management wants to put all speculation to rest, starting with the Afghanistan series. The selectors have already made it clear that there will be no compromise on fitness standards, with stringent measures set to continue. Apart from fitness, relevance is also expected to be a key consideration. This is where serious discussions can take place over Ravindra Jadeja‘s spot. Even though he enjoys the backing of the men who matter, the all-rounder will need to punch above his weight to remain in contention for the World Cup.Kohli has been a giant of the format, and his recent outings have ensured there are no second thoughts over his position.That leaves Rohit on the stickiest wicket among the three legends. The former captain has struggled with his hamstring, hasn’t set the white-ball stage on fire in recent months and could find his days with the Indian team numbered, if not already over.
Rohit Sharma (Getty Images)
Beyond the three stalwarts, the selectors are also expected to seek clarity on Hardik Pandya’s bowling workload in the 50-over format. While the all-rounder has bowled regularly in the IPL, he last played an ODI in March 2025.The management also wants to give Nitish Kumar Reddy game time to keep him in contention. The 22-year-old is likely to be part of the plans for the tours of Ireland and England as well, given his improved bowling performance in the IPL.May 19 could prove to be a significant day for Indian cricket, with the focus not just on selections for the Afghanistan series but also on the calls linked to the World Cup. From here on, every game will be an opportunity to finalise the ideal combination, and the selectors seem in no mood to hand out freebies. The message is loud and clear — there is no looking back now.
