Is Ravindra Jadeja Dropped Or Retired From ODIs? Here's What Ajit Agarkar Said In The Press Conference

Gautam Gambhir addressed the media ahead of his first tour with India. Ravindra Jadeja’s ODI exclusion sparked speculation, but selectors clarified it was due to Axar Patel's form. Jadeja remains in team plans but faces challenges for the Champions Trophy.

Gautam Gambhir the newly appointed India cricket team head coach addressed his first press conference in Mumbai since assuming the role earlier this month. This comes ahead of his first assignment with the national team: the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka, where India will play three T20Is and three ODIs. Ravindra Jadeja's omission from India's ODI squad for the Sri Lanka tour has raised eyebrows, given his regular presence in the team. With his name missing from the announced squad, speculations arose about the end of his ODI career. India coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar have clarified the situation.

Agarkar explained that Jadeja's exclusion was not due to a permanent drop but rather because Axar Patel deserved the spot. Patel has been exceptional in both white-ball formats, making him hard to overlook. Agarkar addressed concerns about Jadeja's future in ODIs and the ICC Champions Trophy, confirming that Jadeja remains part of the team’s plans.

Agarkar noted that including both Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja in a short series might not be practical. He assured that Jadeja is likely to be considered for the Test series and remains an important player. Despite this, Jadeja's return to the ODI squad seems challenging unless Patel loses form or faces other issues. 

India will play only six ODI matches before the Champions Trophy next February. Apart from the three matches against Sri Lanka, the remaining fixtures are against England at home, scheduled just a week before the team departs for the tournament. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee, in consultation with new head coach Gautam Gambhir, may not have selected their first-choice squad for the Champions Trophy.

India's T20 And ODI Squad For Srilanka Tour

ODI Squad: Rohit Sharma (C), Ꮪhubman Gill (VC), Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (WK), Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Riyan Parag, Axar Patel, Khaleel Ahmed, Harshit Rana.