BCCI want Test specialists to play domestic cricket; Rohit, Virat, Bumrah to be exceptions

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has made it clear to the Test specialists that they must be ready for domestic engagements when not part of the national team. Exceptions to this rule, however, has been set for Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and seamer Jasprit Bumrah.

The board wants the Test players to play at least one, if not more, Duleep Trophy game in August before Bangladesh and New Zealand come visiting.

“This time there is no zonal selection committee for the Duleep Trophy. Only the national selection committee will pick Duleep teams. All Test team contenders will be picked. For Rohit, Virat, and Bumrah, it will be their choice if they want to play or not,” said a BCCI source as per PTI.

India’s next assignment is the T20I and ODI series in Sri Lanka with there being uncertainty over the captaincy role. Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav have reportedly been the frontrunners but an official word is yet to be made.

“Hardik Pandya was India’s T2O vice-captain under Rohit Sharma. He is completely fit and available for the three-match T20I series and will lead the side,” a senior BCCI source said.

Rohit and Virat retired from T20Is at the end of the World Cup
. The T20I series against Sri Lanka will run from July 27 to 30 in Pallekele, followed by the ODIs from August 2 to 7 in Colombo.

The squad for the series is expected to be announced soon. There is still no clarity on who would be Pandya or Suryakumar’s deputy, the toss-up is between Shubman Gill, who recently captained India to a
4-1 series win over Zimbabwe
, and one of Pandya/SKY depending on who takes the leadership role.

For the ODIs, Pandya has already asked BCCI and spoken to Rohit Sharma about needing leaves due to “personal reasons.”

“The break from ODIs is for very personal reasons. Hardik doesn’t have any fitness issue as is being floated in the media,” the official said.

For the ODIs, KL Rahul, who led in the last ODI series in South Africa, and Gill are in contention for the captaincy role.