Amid the ongoing conversation about Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s prospects in international cricket following the Champions Trophy, the future of another senior Indian cricketer is now uncertain. All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja’s position across formats is at risk, as his performances in both red-ball and white-ball cricket have raised concerns over recent months.
According to a report from the Times of India, sources within the BCCI suggested that Jadeja’s future is unclear, as head coach Gautam Gambhir and the Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel are focusing on assembling a core group for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Nevertheless, it remains to be seen whether the preparations for the tournament will commence with the upcoming Champions Trophy.
A BCCI source revealed to TOI, “Gambhir has been extremely firm about building core teams based on formats. Thus far, he hasn’t really altered much regarding the longer formats but has a distinct strategy for laying a solid foundation for the ODI World Cup. He is keen to present opportunities to a few more identified players. ” The source added, “It’s all about when the selectors decide that the transition should commence. They will consider whether to choose the safe option in Jadeja or move on at this point. ”
The report further indicated that Jadeja is on the verge of being dropped from the ODI setup due to his disappointing performances with the bat at No. 7, where his strike rate has been only 75 over the past two years. His absence from last year’s ODI tour of Sri Lanka following his T20I retirement was also underscored.
Jadeja’s status for the Champions Trophy is currently unclear, with Axar Patel positioned ahead of him in the pecking order. Washington Sundar is also in the mix for the spin all-rounder role, while Kuldeep Yadav stands out as the primary candidate as a specialist spinner for the tournament.
The source remarked, “Even in Test cricket, he has struggled to find his footing, although his bowling has remained dependable. There is a desire to move forward without him, especially in the ODI format. It will be a challenging decision in the upcoming days. ” Regarding Jadeja’s Test career, the source stated, “Jadeja is still somewhat in contention for the England tour due to the inexperience in the middle order. However, the selectors will have to reach a decision during the home season. For the Champions Trophy, selectors will understand that pitches in Dubai have typically favored slow bowlers. ”
