Chief selector Ajit Agarkar said on Tuesday that the selection panel will rely entirely on the Indian team physio's assessment before confirming the availability of Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya for the ODI series against Afghanistan in June 2025. While both senior players are described as 'on track,' Agarkar cautioned that a final fitness call will be taken closer to the matches.

What Agarkar Said

Speaking at a virtual press conference in Guwahati on 19 May, Agarkar made clear that fitness decisions fall squarely within the physio's domain. 'I go by what the physio tells me, and I have full faith in what the Indian physio tells me,' he said. He added that if either player fails to meet the fitness threshold within the next two weeks, the panel will 'take a call accordingly.'

Agarkar also acknowledged the complexity of assessing whether players are competing through discomfort. 'Sometimes a player knows whether he can play through it or not. I won't be able to tell you, sitting here, whether they are playing through niggles or not. You certainly want them fit when they come and play or represent the national team,' he said.

The Injury Picture

Hardik Pandya has been sidelined with back spasms and has missed three Mumbai Indians matches since his last appearance on 2 May. With MI already eliminated from playoff contention, there is no competitive pressure to rush his return. Rohit Sharma, meanwhile, has featured in only 7 of MI's 12 IPL 2025 games after sustaining a right hamstring injury against Royal Challengers Bengaluru earlier in the tournament.

The three-match ODI series is scheduled for 14, 17, and 20 June at Dharamshala, Lucknow, and Chennai, respectively — leaving a narrow window for both players to prove fitness.

Nitish Kumar Reddy on the Radar

Agarkar spoke at length about seam-bowling all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, who was not named in the ODI squad despite notable bowling improvements with Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2026 — gains attributed in part to a stint with renowned fast-bowling coach Steffan Jones. The chief selector said the panel is monitoring Reddy closely and sees him as a potential long-term asset.

'He could end up being a critical part of our team if he keeps developing the way he is at this point. We are very happy with the way he is going, and over the next few months, there will be lots of games for us to give him those opportunities to keep getting better,' Agarkar said.

New Faces and Selection Headaches

The ODI squad also features first-time call-ups for Prince Yadav, Gurnoor Brar, and Harsh Dubey. Agarkar framed the depth of options as a welcome challenge rather than a burden. 'The more options there are, the better your headache is. At this point, certainly in white-ball cricket, we are blessed with a lot of options,' he said, adding that the selection process involves detailed discussions with the coach and captain to determine the right team balance across formats.

With the Afghanistan series serving as a preparatory window ahead of a busy international calendar, India's selection panel will be watching fitness updates closely over the coming fortnight.