New Delhi: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has convened an urgent meeting with head coach Gautam Gambhir, selection committee chief Ajit Agarkar, and senior board officials ahead of the second ODI against South Africa on Wednesday. The discussion is expected to focus on key issues related to team management, performance, and long-term planning.
The development comes at a time when the future roles of senior players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been widely debated, despite both having recently returned to top form with strong performances.
According to reports, the meeting will involve BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, joint secretary Prabhtej Singh Bhatia, Gambhir, and Agarkar. It remains unclear whether the newly elected BCCI president, Mithun Manhas, will attend. Given that the meeting is scheduled on match day, senior players are not likely to be part of the discussions.
A senior BCCI official indicated that the purpose of the meeting is to ensure “selection consistency” while balancing long-term development and immediate team performance. The board is expected to review concerns that surfaced during India’s recent home Test series defeat to South Africa, which highlighted tactical inconsistencies both on and off the field.
With Gambhir and Agarkar present, the board aims to seek clarity on the current management approach and lay down a clearer roadmap ahead of upcoming assignments. Officials are especially keen on forward planning, considering India’s next Test series is eight months away.
The board also views the next two major tournaments—the T20 World Cup next year and the ODI World Cup that follows—as crucial opportunities, making it important to address gaps swiftly.
The situation has sparked speculation about communication challenges between team management and senior players. There were rumours of the BCCI urging Virat Kohli to reconsider his Test retirement, but the star batter dismissed any possibility of a return after the Ranchi ODI on Sunday.
