India's workload problem might have a simple solution

Hindustan Times

5 days ago

Mumbai: For the entire 2023 season, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli didn't play a single T20I game. As it was the 50-over World Cup year, India fielded a different set of players for the two limited overs formats. Hardik Pandya was leading the T20 side and Rohit the ODI team. File image of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. (AFP)
In the 2024 season, the T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies, became the main focus. With one series to go, the India selectors brought Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli back into the T20 fold.
It proved to be a successful move with Rohit leading India to their first ICC title since 2013 Champions Trophy.
In the press conference to announce the team, in May 2024, Rohit, who was named as captain, explained the selectors' line of thinking. 'We have actually in the past if you noticed, whichever format happens, we give priority. Us being where we are, a lot of players were given a break. The focus was on the 50-over WC (2023) which is why we (Rohit and Virat) had given T20s a miss. Test cricket was the constant which we kept playing. That is what we discussed in the selection committee group,' Rohit had said.
As India plans for the new season ahead, with the selection committee set to pick the team for the Asia Cup T20 on August 19, how do they handle their main players will be the question?
The next major selection duties for Ajit Agarkar's committee are going to be the Asia Cup, the Test matches against the West Indies, the limited overs tour of Australia followed by the Test series against South Africa at home.
The Asia Cup ends on September 28, the West Indies Test series starts on October 2. It ends on Oct 14 and India play their first ODI in Australia on Oct 19. The limited overs tour of Australia finishes on Nov 8, and the first Test against South Africa is on November 14.
It's a packed calendar and if you are an all-format player, there's hardly any breathing room. There's no time for even a little bit of rest and recuperation.
And this scenario begs the question: should the main players who form the nucleus of the Test side be made to regularly play in the other formats? Or will Indian cricket be better served by fielding separate sides for each format?
Given how workload management seems to be becoming the theme of the season, this is the key decision in front of Agarkar's committee.
Big player pool
The advantage for India is having a large player pool to choose from thanks to the impetus provided by the IPL. India Test captain Shubman Gill and vice captain Rishabh Pant can be picked for the T20 side as well but is there a need for them to play in the T20 side for the Asia Cup?
It is not that India has struggled with the results without their big names. Under Suryakumar Yadav' since Rohit, Virat and Ravindra Jadeja chose to retire after the 2024 World Cup, the T20 side has been on a roll.
Starting with a 3-0 clean sweep in Sri Lanka as well as at home against Bangladesh, they have won four series in a row, finishing the last season with a 4-1 win over England. Most impressive was Surya & Co's 3-1 win over South Africa in South Africa in November 2025, before playing England at home.
One of the attractions of adding big names is to attract market forces and get sponsorships. Surya's side is playing such a thrilling brand of cricket they are a marketing team's delight.
The best example was the cricket they played in South Africa. On the tough seaming and bouncy playing surfaces, the India top-order put up a breathtaking display.
Sanju Samson set the tone with a blazing 50-ball 107 (10 sixes) in the series opener at Durban before finishing with a 56-ball 109 (9 sixes) in the final match at Johannesburg. His opening partner Abhishek Sharma also sparkled with a 25-ball 50 and an 18-ball 36 in the third and fourth T20Is. Who can forget Abhishek's last T20 innings -- a 54-ball 135 (13 sixes) against England at the Wankhede Stadium.
After a gruelling Test series, when you have a Samson, do you need to risk Gill or when you have Abhishek, do you need to risk the rising Test star, Yashasvi Jaiswal?
The T20Is can be used to give the experience to other players. When the World Cup is round the corner, the top players can be considered, like in the case of Rohit and Virat's selections ahead of 2024.
With everyone playing in the IPL to know the form of the players, they don't really need to play the T20Is.
Pace talent
There being no dearth of batting talent in India, the most precious commodity is the pace bowlers. Along with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj has emerged as a standout bowler.
The selectors have to be careful of their workload management. To help manage the workload of the main pacers better, they have a decent talent pool of Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, pace all-rounder Hardik Pandya, Avesh Khan and Mayank Yadav to use and rotate.
Off-season needed
The players have to put India first but the point is that given the demands on the modern players, is the team's interest better served by putting India first for the big tournaments or by playing every series?
For the BCCI's think tank, the key is to find a way to create an off-season for the players, like in the old days where for a couple of months the players were able to take a proper break, give the body a chance to recover, and work on their fitness.
If the BCCI helps prized commodities Gill & Co find that, they will remain fitter and sharper for the series and tournaments that truly matter.