India vs Afghanistan: India announced a 15-man squad for the T20I series against Afghanistan. However, the list of 15 names came with a few asterisk signs. As many as four players were added to the squad, with the availability of these players being subject to fitness. The players whose names carry an asterisk sign are Jasprit Bumrah, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana, and Nitish Kumar Reddy. The historic away series will see Afghanistan hosting the Shreyas Iyer-led unit in New Delhi.
Why Jasprit Bumrah, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana and Nitish Reddy Have Been Selected?
Jasprit Bumrah, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana, and Nitish Kumar Reddy, despite not being fully fit, have been selected for the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan. Given that the squad is named 12 before the first match, the selection unit does not have the exact medical status of the players.
Last month, Devajit Saikia, BCCI Secretary, had talked about the reasons behind naming players in the squad despite them not being fully fit. “We basically have our selection meetings at least three to four weeks before the team departs. So therefore, three weeks before or four weeks before, we do not know the exact status of the player. Therefore, that asterisk subject to fitness is given because that particular player is under a program of rehabilitation. So if he gets fit within that period of 21 days or 28 days, he will be taken into the team,” said Saikia.
Saikia further added, “So that is precisely why we do not outrightly reject him because on the date of selection, we are rejecting him because on that day he is not fit. But by the time it will be effectively required for the travel or to play the match, by that time he may be totally fit. So, in that situation, we always keep that subject to the fitness condition. So we do not deprive the player also, and it is very uncertain that within 21 days he will get fit or not.”
Injury Concerns Put BCCI CoE Under Scanner
Recent injuries to players have put the BCCI and the medical team at the Centre of Excellence under the scanner. In the recently concluded India’s tour of Sri Lanka, Jasprit Bumrah and Sai Sudharsan were not selected after being ruled out due to their injuries. Earlier, Varun Chakravarthy was ruled out for the T20I series against Zimbabwe. Each of Bumrah, Sundar, Rana and Reddy has been prone to injuries.
Pragun is a passionate cricket follower and writer who deeply loves the game. Having completed his education with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, he has an experience of almost two years in diverse fields. He is known for his statistical and analytical articles. Pragun tries to bring life to his articles by adding a layer of enthusiasm from the perspective of a hardcore fan. Apart from writing cricket articles, he sometimes appears on YouTube videos on a friend’s podcast.
