The Ajit Agarkar-led national selection committee is expected to name the same squad for the five-match T20I series against New Zealand and the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, a BCCI source said on Friday, indicating that the team management is prioritising continuity ahead of the marquee global event. While the ICC is yet to formally announce the schedule, the 20-team tournament is tentatively slated to begin on February 7.
Under ICC rules, teams must submit their final 15-member squad a month before the tournament begins, with an option to make alterations only until a designated cut-off date. The procedure mirrors the process followed for the 2024 edition in the Americas, where India lifted the trophy under Rohit Sharma’s captaincy.
The New Zealand T20Is, beginning January 21, will be India’s final bilateral assignment before the World Cup and are being viewed as a dress rehearsal. “With only 10 T20Is left before the T20 World Cup, you won't see many changes happening in the squad proper unless someone is ruled out due to any specific injury,” a source informed. “The 15 chosen for the series against the Black Caps won't be tinkered with because of the short turnaround time.”
Also read: Gill released from squad, to undergo injury assessment in Mumbai
The five matches will be played in Nagpur (January 21), Raipur (January 23), Guwahati (January 25), Visakhapatnam (January 28) and Thiruvananthapuram (January 31).
Before this, the South Africa T20I series is expected to give head coach Gautam Gambhir and T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav their final opportunity to assess fringe players, particularly in specialised roles. Once the squad for the New Zealand series is named, only injuries or exceptional conditions-related demands are likely to prompt changes.
The BCCI is also keen to avoid a repeat of the situation during the Champions Trophy in Dubai earlier this year, when the initial squad had to be altered mid-way. Yashasvi Jaiswal was originally named, but considering the conditions in Dubai and the need for a mystery spinner, Varun Chakravarthy was brought in during the preceding England series. Jaiswal was eventually dropped despite being included in the initial 15, a precedent the board is reluctant to revisit.
Follow us
