BCCI's action plan after Test debacle: Meeting with Rohit, succession plan, and potential exclusion of senior players

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is expected to respond swiftly, with significant decisions likely from both the board and selectors. However, any drastic changes in the team may not happen immediately. On Sunday, the Indian cricket team suffered its first 3-0 home Test series loss, succumbing to New Zealand in the final Test at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.

The first Test series loss at home since 2012 with senior players including Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli consistently underperforming in the series has raised fears that India are back to the 2011-12 era where they lost 4-0 in England and Australia respectively with Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Sachin Tendulkar all struggling for runs.

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In this scenario, the BCCI and selectors are expected to establish a succession plan to ensure a successful transition and prevent embarrassing defeats in the future. However, no immediate actions are anticipated, as the squad for the upcoming Australia series has already been announced, including all senior players.

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BCCI, however, is expected to meet the chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar, head coach Gautam Gambhir, and skipper Rohit before the team leaves for Australia and discuss the way forward, sources told Firstpost. Team India leaves for a five-match Test series in Australia on 10 November.

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The big changes can come after the Australia tour especially if India fail to qualify for the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 final. India need to win at least 4-0 in Australia to qualify for the WTC final without depending on other teams and their results. But if this doesn’t happen then the Australia tour can be the last Test cricket assignment for at least two out of four senior players including Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin.

“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 the news agency PTI.

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“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,” the BCCI source added.

Who can replace Team India senior players?

Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal are some of the players who can be given a chance in the Test team while Washington Sundar, who took 16 wickets in two Tests vs New Zealand, has shown that he can be a reliable replacement for R Ashwin. Similarly, Axar Patel can be a good replacement for Ravindra Jadeja, who was the only senior player to have a good New Zealand series as he took 16 wickets in three matches.

Ashwin could only take nine wickets in six innings, while Rohit and Kohli scored 91 and 93 runs respectively across three matches.

The pitches in Australia will be much better for scoring runs but their recent poor form can prove to be an obstacle.

“No doubt pitches in Australia will be far better for batting but erasing self doubts after this kind of humiliation will be a difficult ask,” a former selector told news agency PTI.

If it doesn’t and India do qualify for the WTC final then it will be interesting to see how long BCCI plans to continue with the aging stars who have lacked consistency over the last few years.