Will India make plenty of changes in the Test squad after the series against New Zealand? Will the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja get dropped after the Border-Gavaskar Trophy? A PTI report has provided shocking details and the four senior players have reportedly played their last home game together.
PTI has reported that the BCCI isn't keen to repeat the blunder that it committed in 2011. Back then, the star-studded MS Dhoni-led team was whitewashed in England and Australia. VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid retired in 2012 while Sachin Tendulkar called it quits in 2013.
The report adds that changes could be made immediately after the BGT if India fail to qualify for the final of the World Test Championship.
"Stocks will be taken certainly and it could be of informal nature since the team leaves for Australia on November 10. But this has been a huge debacle but, with Australia series round the corner and the squad already announced, there won't be any tinkering," a senior BCCI source told PTI.
"But if India doesn't qualify for WTC final in England, one can be rest assured that all four super seniors won't be on that flight to UK for the ensuing five-Test series. In any case, all four have likely played their final Test at home together."
India have a ready-to-go replacement for R Ashwin in Washington Sundar while Axar Patel can replace Ravindra Jadeja. Opening batsman Ruturaj Gaikwad has been waiting for his Test debut since 2023 while the likes of Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal can do the job in the middle order.
The future of the seniors depends on the result of the BGT and they could retain their place if India win the series. The selectors could ring changes and bring in youngsters should India fail to qualify for the WTC final.