Over the last week, several team India players—including Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah—and even outgoing head coach Ravi Shastri have spoken about the effects of extended periods in the Covid bio-bubble and about the need to manage the workload better.
The BCCI has reportedly taken note of these concerns and will be taking the lead in assessing and deciding players' workload management before selectors pick them, according to The Indian Express.
After India's implosion at the start of the Super 12 stage of the T20 World Cup, which resulted in losing out on a semifinal spot, scrutiny of the performance was inevitable. But addressing the matter of fatigue first is a step in the right direction, as the players have been in a bio-bubble, mostly away from family, since the World Test Championship final against New Zealand in June.
Express has reported that new coach Rahul Dravid and BCCI secretary Jay Shah will be involved in this pre-selection process, a decision taken after the former batsman brought up the issue of player fatigue before the Cricket Advisory Committee.
The team trainer will submit a players' fitness report
For the New Zealand tour of India that starts on November 17, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja have been rested, allowing youngsters Ruturaj Gaikwad, Avesh Khan and Venkatesh Iyer to get a look in.
“The BCCI will decide on which player needs to be rested depending on how much cricket is being played. We are aware of the fatigue issue. The player who has been rested will get his place back in the team even if the replacement does well,” a source told the news outlet.
It has been decided that entire second-string squads will not be sent for any series but the players will be shuffled or rested depending on the opponents or the importance of the tournament.
After the New Zealand series, India will travel to South Africa in December to play three Tests, three ODIs and four T20Is. This will be followed by multi-format series against West Indies and Sri Lanka, and then straight to the 2022 IPL season.
