Ajit Agarkar, the Chief Selector for the Indian cricket team, has addressed the exclusion of Ravindra Jadeja from the ODI squad for the upcoming series against Sri Lanka.
During a press conference, Agarkar clarified that Jadeja has not been dropped from the team’s plans. He said he would be considered for selection in future matches.
Agarkar explained that including Jadeja and Axar Patel on a trip to Sri Lanka would have been redundant since both players offer similar skills and services to the team. “It would have been pointless to include both him (Jadeja) and Axar in this short series. We know what Jaddu does. He has had a terrific World Cup and the 50 World Cup, so he’s not at all dropped,” Agarkar stated.
Jadeja has been a pivotal player for India across all formats. He has delivered commendable performances in both the ODI World Cup 2023 and the T20 World Cup 2024. Agarkar emphasized that giving Jadeja a break instead of rotating him with Axar Patel during the ODI series was made to manage his workload effectively, especially with a busy Test season ahead.
“There’s a big Test season coming up, where he is likely to feature in many of the Tests,” Agarkar noted. India will play ten Test matches shortly. We will play five games at home against Bangladesh and New Zealand and five against Australia later in the year. Agarkar highlighted that this period could be used to manage Jadeja’s workload, ensuring he’s fit for the longer format.
“I don’t think three games would have mattered. We should have clarified after the selection that he’s not being dropped. He’s still within the scheme of things, and very important as it is,” Agarkar added, stressing that Jadeja remains a crucial part of the team’s plans.
The Indian team and the support staff will depart for Sri Lanka on Monday, July 22. Newly appointed assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate will join the team in Sri Lanka.
This clarification by Agarkar aims to put any concerns about Jadeja’s position in the team to rest. It re-establishes the importance of player management, especially with significant matches on the horizon. As the team heads to Sri Lanka, fans and analysts will watch closely to see how the squad performs. They will also check out how the decision to rest key players like Jadeja impacts the overall strategy and outcomes.
