Asia Cup: Indian squad could have additional members, Dravid to be part of selection meeting

Indian selection panel head Ajit Agarkar

The Indian selection panel, led by Ajit Agarkar, is likely to go for a 17-member squad for the upcoming Asia Cup in order to check out all possible options ahead of the ODI World Cup, starting October 5.

It is also learnt that BCCI is bucking the convention for the first time and head coach Rahul Dravid will also be present in his official capacity during the meeting scheduled in the national capital on Monday morning. It can be confirmed that neither Ravi Shastri nor Anil Kumble were part of selection meetings during their tenure as national coach.

But it must be mentioned that unlike Cricket Australia, where chief coach is a part of NSP (National Selection Panel), in India, neither coach nor captain has a right to vote. It is still not confirmed whether both skipper Rohit Sharma and Dravid will attend the meeting physically or join through video conference.

With key players -- KL Rahul (thigh) and Shreyas Iyer (lower back) yet to prove their fitness, the BCCI brass and selectors could opt for a safer options that gives them an opportunity to check all available players in the five (six if they reach final) Asia Cup games in Sri Lanka. The Asian Cricket Council has kept provision for 17-member squads for Asia Cup. Accordingly Pakistan, Bangladesh have all picked 17-member squads.

"There is a possibility of picking the provisional 15-member squad for the World Cup which needs to be submitted by September 5 but one could make changes as the deadline for final squad is September 27," a BCCI source said.