India Gears Up for ODI World Cup: Will the Search for Potential Players Take Place via the IPL? Selectors to Keep a Close Watch.

With more than a year still remaining until the ODI World Cup, India has already begun gearing up for the event. A provisional squad of 20 potential players has been identified, and the five national selectors will be keeping a close watch on these individuals during the IPL, which commences on March 28. The selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, comprises SS Das, RP Singh, Ajay Ratra, and Pragyan Ojha.

The World Cup will be co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, and the tournament is scheduled to take place in October-November of next year. Members of the selection committee will be present at the venues within their respective zones to watch matches in person, while they will follow the remaining games on television. In the opening match of the IPL, defending champions Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will face Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Agarkar Did Not Seek an Extension

According to the news agency PTI, senior officials have refuted reports suggesting that Agarkar requested an extension of his tenure through to the ODI World Cup. A senior BCCI official stated, “The selection committee is a sub-committee of the BCCI, and the selectors’ contracts are valid until September of this year. Agarkar’s contract expires in September, following which the BCCI Secretary and Agarkar will jointly decide whether he will continue in his role until the ODI World Cup next year.” A senior selector is eligible to hold the post for a maximum of four years and does not need to formally request a contract extension.

Agarkar assumed the position of Chief Selector in July 2023. He has overseen a transitional phase in both Test and T20 cricket following the retirements of stalwarts such as Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Agarkar is based in Mumbai, while Das hails from Kolkata. RP Singh and Ratra reside in the National Capital Region (NCR), whereas Ojha will attend the IPL matches scheduled in his designated zones—Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

India to Field Full-Strength Squad Against Afghanistan

With an eye on the 2028 T20 World Cup—and the Olympics scheduled for the same year—the primary focus during this year’s IPL will be on identifying the 20 players who will ultimately form the squad for the 50-over World Cup. The selection committee will field its strongest squad for the solitary Test against Afghanistan in Mullanpur, scheduled from June 6 to 10, even though this match will not carry World Test Championship points. Prospective players for the 50-over format are under consideration, and their performance and fitness will be monitored during this year’s IPL. It is understood that fast bowler Harshit Rana will require some time to regain full fitness. The other fast bowlers in contention for the ODIs include Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Arshdeep Singh, along with all-rounder Hardik Pandya.