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Major selection shake-ups could come under discussion, including Rishabh Pant, when the Indian selection committee meets in Guwahati on Tuesday to finalise the Test and ODI squads for the upcoming series against Afghanistan.

While a complete overhaul is unlikely, a few important conversations around leadership roles and workload management are expected to dominate the room.

Rishabh Pant future as Test vice-captain under scrutiny

The role of Rishabh Pant as Test vice-captain could come up for internal review, with growing opinion within certain circles that added leadership responsibility may not be helping his on-field clarity.

The discussion is believed to be influenced by his recent leadership experience in the IPL setup with Lucknow Super Giants, along with earlier instances where tactical decision-making came under scrutiny, including a Test match in Guwahati against South Africa last November when he led in the absence of Shubman Gill.

“Indian cricket simply cannot afford to lose a batting match-winner like Rishabh. He has won and set-up Test matches with his aggressive batting. There is a growing feeling among men who matter that whenever he has been entrusted with additional responsibility, he doesn't seem to make good decisions while batting,” a BCCI source told PTI.

“Giving him an opportunity to play freely could be foremost on the minds of the selection committee.”

At the same time, his ODI place is not fully secure either, with strong competition for the wicketkeeper-batter slot.

Many contenders to compete for ODI wicketkeeper slot

In the 50-over setup, KL Rahul remains a strong contender, while rising options like Dhruv Jurel, Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan continue to be in the mix.

With multiple wicketkeeping choices available, Pant’s position in the ODI squad could face increased competition depending on role clarity and form expectations.

Jasprit Bumrah availability to depend on workload

Workload management for Jasprit Bumrah will be a key part of the discussion.

The current understanding is simple: if the medical team clears him within acceptable workload limits, he could feature in the one-off Test against Afghanistan. However, he is not expected to be considered for the ODI series under any circumstances.

“If the medical team appoves Bumrah's workload is under permissible limits, he might play the Test match against Afghanistan.

“But there is no chance of him playing the ODI series. If there is slightest issue with his workload, he will be rested for the full series,” said the BCCI source privy to developments.

Suryakumar Yadav captaincy to be informally discussed

Even though India are not scheduled to play T20Is in this series, the selectors are expected to have an informal review of the leadership and form trajectory of Suryakumar Yadav.

His recent dip in consistency over the past 18 months is believed to be part of broader evaluation discussions around white-ball leadership direction.

Head coach Gautam Gambhir is expected to play a key role in shaping the feedback loop, especially regarding captaincy continuity.

While one school of thought suggests backing him for another run with leadership responsibilities, there is no firm decision yet on how the selectors will proceed.

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