5 things selectors should keep in mind before picking Indian squads

The senior selectors of the Board of Control for Cricket in India will meet on Tuesday in Bengaluru to pick the squads for as many as five series, starting with the one-off Test against Afghanistan at Bengaluru in June.

In addition to that, they will also select the team for the limited-overs leg of India's tour to England and the India 'A' teams for both the longer format as well as the shorter format. The latter will, in fact, be a tri-series involving England 'A' and West Indies 'A'

Ahead of that, here is a look at 5 things they should keep in mind that would help in the betterment of Indian cricket:

#5 Picking horses for courses

It is a perceived notion around the world that certain cricketers are suited to specific formats of the game.

Martin Guptill from New Zealand comes to mind - An exceptional white-ball player but when the colour of the cherry turns red, he can't find any form of consistency with the bat.

It won't harm India if they look at players who can adapt to one format of the game and unleash their best in it. Someone like an Ambati Rayudu has shown that he can be very effective in white-ball cricket and selecting him specifically for that won't be a bad option.

#4 Picking Indian T20I side based on IPL performances

Krunal Pandya can be given a chance for India based on his IPL showing

Indian cricket should consider itself very fortunate that the Indian Premier League, started exactly a decade ago, has helped unearth several players who have, and could in the future, add a great deal of value to the limited-overs set-up.

The competition has helped revitalize, as well as build, the careers of several players and it has meant that there has never been a shortage of reserves in the limited-overs scheme of things.

It would be wise on the selectors' part to take note of the exploits in the league while selecting the team for the shortest format, looking at guys like Krunal Pandya, Rishab Pant and others who have shown their capabilities.

#3 Rewarding regulars

Karthik needs to be given a longer rope

One thing that was very prevalent when MS Dhoni led India was the fact that there was very little chopping and changing and even when players went through lean patches in form, they were trusted to deliver sooner or later.

That is something the selectors could employ here, especially in the case of a Dinesh Karthik, who has been part of the limited-overs set-up, by keeping him higher in the ranks because whenever he has gotten his chance in the limited-overs scheme of things, he has, more often than not, performed.

It is important for the selectors to consider those who have done well in the domestic circuit for selection or else the motivation level of players who slug it out day-in and day-out could decline soon.

#2 Grooming players for the long-term

Giving someone like Pant more chances would help his confidence

While Indian cricket at present looks in good shape with a good nucleus forming in the Test and the limited-overs set-up, it would be for the betterment of Indian cricket that they begin to look for players who can be relied upon in a year or more's time.

While there is no questioning the quality MS Dhoni brings to the ODI and T20I set-up, giving someone like Pant an opportunity at constant intervals in series where he could show his potential would not be a bad idea.

Even in the Test scheme of things, with Wriddhiman Saha turning 34 later this year, it wouldn't be a bad idea to groom a wicket-keeper for the future, someone who could take his place in a couple of years' time.

#1 Manage the workload

Please preserve this kid in cotton wool when he is not playing

It is an area that the BCCI have begun to put a lot of emphasis on in recent times with key players of the setup getting periodic breaks from the game to keep them fresh for bigger challenges.

The selectors must look to adopt a similar strategy when it comes to the fast bowlers, who will have the bulk of the workload on them when India play overseas. Perhaps having them not feature in every limited-overs series that the team plays could be a way to preserve them.

There was a sense that in the previous trip to England, India ran out of gas towards the end because the bowlers just could not carry the load of bowling with sustained pace and venom for the duration of the five-Test series.

In order to avoid another similar scenario, it is imperative that the key bowlers, those expected to win series for the team, are not played in every series that the Men In Blue feature in.