BCCI Meet: Agarkar, Gambhir set to seek return-to-play time-lines for injured players from COE

NEW DELHI, Sept 2: Injury management of key players heading into a crucial all-format tour of New Zealand and the broader roadmap for next year's ODI World Cup will be the key points of discussion at a BCCI review meeting featuring head coach Gautam Gambhir and chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar here on Thursday.

The June-July debacle in the UK is expected to be discussed at length but it is also understood that stakeholders, including BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, want to look ahead.

Centre of Excellence head VVS Laxman is also expected to join the meeting. The tour of New Zealand is scheduled in October-November.

Those tracking the latest developments in Indian cricket say Agarkar and Gambhir could have some very specific queries on the injured centrally-contracted and targetted players who are undergoing rehabilitation at the Bengaluru-based COE.

"The selection committee chief was informally intimated before the Sri Lanka Tests that Jasprit Bumrah would be fit for at least one if not two Tests. In fact, he had written a mail to COE seeking more clarity on Bumrah's absence.

"His (Bumrah) absence was felt in the second Test where Siraj looked distinctly off-colour on a placid track. Ditto for Hardik Pandya, who hasn't played anything post IPL and is important as far as the ODI World Cup is concerned," a BCCI source said on conditions of anonymity.

While it is very difficult to set a specific date for any player's return as bodies are different and so are the types of injuries but at times, the COE's Sports Science team has often failed to provide even an approximate time-line.

For Agarkar and Gambhir, it is very necessary that they have an idea about some of the important players' availability which is central to the strategic planning for marquee tours and big ICC events.

For instance, Pandya has shifted his base to Bengaluru, got a house on rent and plans to train there in the near future.

However, the team management and the selection committee are clear that unless COE rules him fit to bowl 10 overs, they won't pick him for 50-overs cricket.

Pandya was never in contention to play against Afghanistan as he is not a part of the Asian Games squad.

Pacer Akash Deep has been at the COE for several months now and has not played any international cricket. There are questions on his availability against New Zealand A before the start of the Test series.

If one looks at the squad selected for the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan scheduled to be played in New Delhi starting September 13, the selection committee named four injured players -- Bumrah, Washington, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harshit Rana -- subject to fitness. (PTI)