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MUMBAI: The India squad for next month’s two-Test tour of Sri Lanka will be announced by Tuesday (July 28).“Yes, the Indian team for the Sri Lanka Test tour will be picked in the next two days. By Tuesday, we will announce the team,” BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia told TOI on Saturday.The first Test of the series — expected to be a spin trial by fire for India’s batters, who have struggled against quality overseas spin on turning tracks in recent years — will be played in Galle from August 15 to 19. The second Test is scheduled at the SSC in Colombo from August 23 to 27.Meanwhile, the BCCI will conduct a review of Team India’s white-ball tours of Ireland, England and Zimbabwe in the first half of August.Led by new T20I captain Shreyas Iyer, India suffered a shock 2-0 series defeat to Ireland — their first-ever T20I series loss to the hosts — before being whitewashed 4-0 by England in the T20I series. Under Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill, India then lost the ODI series 2-1 to England, capping a disappointing tour of the UK.India, however, bounced back with a much-improved performance in Zimbabwe, defeating the hosts by seven wickets in the opening T20I at the Harare Sports Club on Thursday to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. The victory was Iyer’s first as India’s T20I captain after a seven-match winless streak.“We will conduct a review of India’s tours of England, Ireland and Zimbabwe in the first part of Aug. It could be in beginning of the month of Aug. Some of the contracts (of the Team India support staff) have expired. We will review it. In our review meeting, we will discuss everything, including what are the things that went wrong in England. The review meeting will be held after our team returns from Zimbabwe,” Saikia told this paper.
BCCI review to decide on contract extensions for Ten Doeschate and Dilip
The contracts of two members of head coach Gautam Gambhir’s support staff have ended following the ongoing white-ball assignments, and a decision on their future will be taken during the BCCI’s review meeting after the Zimbabwe tour.The two-year contracts of assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate and fielding coach T Dilip have expired.“Regarding the contractual extension of two members of the support staff, whose contracts have expired, the review committee will decide on their contract extension,” Saikia revealed.There is speculation that the contracts of both Ten Doeschate and Dilip may not be renewed.Dilip, who joined the Indian team as part of former head coach Rahul Dravid’s support staff, has been a popular figure and is best remembered for introducing the ‘Best Fielder Medal’ presentation after every match. He was the only member of Dravid’s support staff to continue after Dravid, batting coach Vikram Rathour and bowling coach Paras Mhambrey completed their tenures following India’s 2024 T20 World Cup triumph.India’s fielding standards, however, have dipped noticeably over the past few months.
