Indian selectors to pick T20 and ODI squads ahead of camp

BENGALURU: Mysterious are the ways of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). A 30-member preparatory camp is scheduled in the city from Monday, but strangely 24 hours before it commences, the selectors have been asked to identify 15 players who will take on South Africa in five ODIs and two T20Is.
It is baffling because key Indian cricketers, Mohammed Shami, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, MS Dhoni have had fitness issues in the not too distant past and the preparatory camp would have been ideal to assess them before easing them back into the tough world of competitive cricket.
Of course getting match fit is different from 'nets-fit' and Shami, in particular, has been out of top quality cricket for quite some time now. He could have been primed with a dose of India A cricket. But that was not to be and thus when the selectors sit on the morrow they'll have to depend more on reputation and past performances than on current form.
The Sri Lanka series, if it was anything to go by, would have firmed up the slots for Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli among batsmen, and R Ashwin, Amit Mishra and Ishant Sharma among bowlers. Of course there is a small matter of a one-Test ban for boorish behaviour that dogs Ishant but that may not come in the way of his selection into the limited overs teams.
On Sunday the selectors would have to take a call whether they want to preserve the services of the successful Ajinkya Rahane and Murali Vijay for the Tests where the mindset to take on the likes of paceman Dale Steyn and leg spinner Imran Tahir would certainly be different from the demands of slam-bam matches. If they opt to safeguard the duo, along with KL Rahul and Cheteshwar Pujara, then it could well provide the opportunity for Ambati Rayudu, Manish Pandey, Karun Nair or even Kedar Jadhav to make a mark.

Suresh Raina who has fallen in and out of favour of late might well be back after he was given a look-in during the India A games against Bangladesh.
Stuart Binny who did pretty well for himself in Sri Lanka faces competition from Dhawal Kulkarni and Ravindra Jadeja for the all-rounder's slot. The selectors would be wary of the strong South African squad's outstanding overseas record. Virtually all their key players, including skipper AB de Villiers, are regulars in the IPL circuit and hence used to Indian conditions.
Thus while the selectors would be keen on putting together an India team that will bring this South African team to its knees, it would also do well to keep an eye on emerging players who could spearhead the Indian challenge in the 2016 T20 World Cup to be played at home in March-April.
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