Rohit holds his place in squad for New Zealand Test series

STUART BINNY AND SHARDUL THAKUR WERE THE ONLY OMISSIONS FROM THE SIDE WHICH TOURED THE WEST INDIES

Outgoing chairman of selectors Sandeep Patil has refrained from making any major changes while naming a 15-member squad to play three Tests against the touring New Zealand from September 22.

Stuart Binny and Shardul Thakur were the only omissions from the side which toured the West Indies.

“We have stuck to the combination which has done very well,” Patil said after the meeting, which was attended by skipper Virat Kohli and coach Anil Kumble.

There was speculation over Rohit Sharma’s place due to his inconsistent form. Patil though doused it. “Rohit is a fabulous player, with immense talent. He hasn’t got a long run in Test cricket as he has been picked for one Test and then dropped. The selection committee, along with captain and coach, said they will give ample opportunities to anyone who is picked,” Patil said.

Asked if former India opener Gautam Gambhir’s name was discussed, Patil said: “We’ve discussed not only Gautam but other seniors also. We have not forgotten the seniors. We discuss a lot of players... we have chosen only 15 for this series but I am happy to say we have a big pool of some 30-odd players.”

The former India batsman, whose tenure will end this month, reflected on his four-year term and said his panel had to deal with many tough decisions.

However, when asked if there was any truth to reports that he had signalled to Sachin Tendulkar to announce his retirement, Patil would only say that the committee was answerable to the BCCI and some aspects of discussions must remain confidential.

The BCCI has, for the first time, invited applications for the posts of the senior, junior and women’s squad selectors. BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke said the decision was made to bring in transparency and offer better alternatives for the Board to choose from.