New Delhi: The BCCI medical unit has begun speaking with players named in contention for India’s next one-off Test against Afghanistan, scheduled for next month. The emphasis is on workload management—gradually building intensity rather than forcing sudden spikes—so that key performers arrive fresh and ready as the international calendar moves quickly.
BCCI medical check-ins and workload approach
The Indian cricket board’s medical team has started reaching out to the group of batters considered for the Afghanistan fixture. The board had earlier been cautious about the risk of overburdening senior players, particularly with the IPL playoffs picture still not fully locked in at the time of the discussions.
With no concerns flagged by the medical staff so far, a full-strength batting unit—captained by Shubman Gill—appears set to be part of the playing XI in Mullanpur on June 6.
- The initial strategy has been to keep monitoring players’ workload closely.
- No red flags have been reported by the medical team regarding the batting group at present.
- Despite the short window, the regular top-order batters are expected to feature: KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant.
- The BCCI receives ongoing workload data during the IPL and is satisfied with what it has observed so far.
Bowling group likely to see changes
While the batting plans look stable, the bowling unit may not be treated the same way. The thinking is that, under harsh conditions in June, it would be unwise to push premium quicks too hard for a match that does not fall within the World Test Championship cycle.
- Jasprit Bumrah is unlikely to take part in the Afghanistan Test.
- A final decision is expected later for Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna.
- With the Sri Lanka Test series in mind, selectors may look to experiment—particularly in the bowling department.
- The opportunity could also benefit those who have been performing consistently at the margins.
A source close to the developments pointed out that workload management is expected to be the deciding factor for bowlers. The message is clear: there is no benefit in exhausting the attack for this specific fixture, and it can instead be used to evaluate quicks and spinners ahead of the high-priority Test stretch versus Sri Lanka.
Big No. 3 decision and competition for India’s middle order
With India’s batting core largely settled for the Afghanistan match, attention quickly turns to a more persistent selection question: who should occupy the No. 3 spot for the tours of Sri Lanka and New Zealand later this year.
Sai Sudharsan has received opportunities, but his output has not been convincing enough to end the debate. Even though the team management continues to show support, the longer-term plan remains uncertain—especially with Devdutt Padikkal pressing his case through steady performances in domestic cricket.
- Sai Sudharsan has had a decent run but his returns have been described as far from encouraging.
- Devdutt Padikkal is considered a strong challenger due to consistent domestic form.
- Padikkal scored 543 runs in the Ranji Trophy.
- He also produced a tally of 725 runs from just nine innings in the Vijay Hazare Trophy for Karnataka.
Padikkal, a 25-year-old left-hander, was fast-tracked into India’s Test setup by Ajit Agarkar—chairman of the men’s senior selection committee—during the home series against England. With selectors set to meet again soon, he could be back in contention, particularly if the No. 3 question remains unresolved.
Agarkar and the selection panel are also expected to push for specialist options in the longest format. The reason: they are not fully convinced by the stop-gap arrangements in the XI, nor by the current movement in India’s batting order.
From Afghanistan to the next international stretch
The turnaround between the IPL and the Afghanistan Test is described as quite short. After the June 6 match in Mullanpur, attention is set to switch immediately to the next phase of international cricket: an ODI series against the same opponent, followed by tours of Ireland and England.
