BCCI Calls Gambhir, Agarkar and Laxman to Mumbai for Crucial Meeting: ‘Something Big Is About to Happen’
Mumbai: India recently won the Test series in Sri Lanka 1-0 under the captaincy of Shubman Gill, but the overall performance of the Indian team in the series was disappointing. In particular, Sonal Dinusha single-handedly troubled India’s bowlers in the final Test and prevented Team India from winning the match. The result has reportedly left the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) unhappy, with India’s reputation taking a slight hit.
According to some reports, the BCCI now wants to adopt a stricter approach because India’s performances overseas have not been satisfactory over the past few months. The cricket board’s top officials have called head coach Gautam Gambhir, chief selector Ajit Agarkar and VVS Laxman, chief of the Bengaluru-based Centre of Excellence (COE), to the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai on Thursday, September 3.
The meeting with the three senior figures is expected to cover the Indian team’s performances over the past few months, along with the team’s future and its long-term plans. The discussions will particularly focus on India’s 0-2 and 0-4 defeats in the T20I series in Ireland and England respectively, players’ fitness, injury management and workload during the IPL. There will also be serious discussions on how Indian players can be prepared fully for overseas tours after the IPL.
Apart from losing the T20I series in England 0-4, India were also beaten 1-2 in the ODI series there.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia had said a few days ago, “The board meeting will certainly discuss India’s poor performances overseas.”
Towards the end of this year, Indian cricketers are scheduled to tour New Zealand in particular. The BCCI is also determined to prioritise preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Keeping all this in mind, the board wants the team management, selection committee, players, coaching staff and the COE to work in the same direction.
There are reportedly some players who do not have confidence in the COE. There also appears to be a lack of coordination between the players, COE and selection committee. This is why the cricket board is now more concerned about player injuries and fitness and is determined to resolve the issues.
Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar have been included in the squad for the T20I series against Afghanistan in Delhi this month. However, they will play the series only if they are fully fit.
The cricket board wants to discuss how the number of injuries suffered by players can be reduced and what measures can be taken to improve injury management and overall fitness.
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