India will rest players before Australia tour says, MSK Prasad

Chief selector MSK Prasad admitted that India will have one eye on the tour of Australia before the selectors sit down to pick the squads for the ODI, Test and T20I series against West Indies, which begin next month. He also added that the team only has a "few spots" left to be cemented ahead of next year's World Cup.

Speaking to Times of India, MSK Prasad said: "We are a settled bowling unit. We need to consolidate our batting department. We should ensure our batsmen get enough preparation time before heading into an important series. We are trying to find ways where our Test specialists will be going early and get enough match practise to get acclimatised to conditions."

About the plans for the World Cup, "As we have only 24 ODIs before we play our first game in the World Cup, we have our blueprint ready. We only have a few spots left to be cemented," he added.

If there is one name that is consistently mentioned anytime an Indian squad has been picked recently it is Mayank Agarwal. The 27-year-old's form for Karnataka across formats and for India A have prompted calls about why he is nowhere near an Indian squad despite scoring plenty of runs across conditions and formats.

MSK Prasad admitted that they have had a look at Mayank and have taken measures to ensure that he gets his call-up in the not-so-distant future. Even going so far as to say that "he will get his due soon".

"I totally agree that our committee has been consistent on this point and given utmost priority to the performances in domestic cricket. Mayank Agarwal has been doing outstandingly well in the past 10 months or so.

"You should also know that we have identified potential in Mayank and requested the head coach and assistant coach of Karnataka at the beginning of the season to give him ample opportunities this season. We have been keeping track of him for some time. He has done well and will get his due soon."