BCCI Expects India's Test Specialists to Take Part in Domestic Cricket Except Rohit, Virat and Bumrah - Report

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) wants Team India’s Test specialists to participate in domestic cricket whenever they are not on national duty. However, exceptions will be made for Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah.

According to a report by the Press Trust of India (PTI), it is suggested that all of India’s test players would have to take part in at least one Duleep Trophy game in August ahead of their five-day games against the likes of Bangladesh and New Zealand.

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The report also said that for the Duleep Trophy, the national selection committee would pick the teams implying that India’s Test players will be included in the respective sides to get some game-time and prepare themselves for the India Tests.

“All Test team contenders will be picked. For Rohit, Virat and Bumrah, it will be their choice if they want to play or not,” an anonymous source from the Indian Cricket Board added.

During the five-match Test series against England, the BCCI secretary Jay Shah, delivered a stern message to the centrally contracted players that they would have to participate in India’s domestic circuit instead of conveniently skipping it.

Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan had missed out on central contracts as they were not available for domestic cricket despite the Indian Cricket Board’s directive.

Following India’s comprehensive Test series victory over England, Shah had also announced the ‘Test Cricket Incentive Scheme’ which was aimed to incentivize the red-ball players within the country to take up the longest format of the sport.

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India’s apex body hopes to see a revival in the domestic format with international stars taking part and see an increase in the quality of cricket being played to help prepare and improve the talents altogether.

India’s current assignment, however, will be the white-ball tour of Sri Lanka where Gautam Gambhir will begin his stint as the Head Coach of the Indian team. The squads for both the T20I and ODI series are expected to be announced soon.