The national selection committee will meet in Guwahati on Tuesday (May 19) to pick India's Test and ODI squads - the two formats in which the team suffered defeats the last time they played - for the home series against Afghanistan. The series will include one Test and three ODIs between June 6 and 20.

The reversals for the Indian team came against South Africa (in Tests) late last year and against New Zealand (in ODIs) early this year, but it is unlikely that either the Test or ODI squads will witness too many changes.

Most members of the squads that featured in the previous assignments are expected to be retained in both the Test and ODI teams, to be led by Shubman Gill, who had missed the last Test because of a neck injury. The Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee will, however, have a few points to ponder, primarily revolving around Jasprit Bumrah, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant and the two senior pros - Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

The key question before the selectors is how to ensure that Jaiswal gets an opportunity in the ODI XI. The 24-year-old had scored an unbeaten century in the last ODI he featured in - against South Africa in Visakhapatnam - but lost his place in the XI immediately thereafter. In the following series, against New Zealand, skipper Gill returned to the squad and Jaiswal was forced to cool his heels in the dressing room.

With Rohit and Gill opening in ODIs, there has been no place for the left-handed opener at the top of the order, and the selectors are believed to be exploring options. The hamstring injury to Rohit, who has lately been playing only as an Impact Player for Mumbai Indians in the IPL, may open up an opportunity for Jaiswal, who has played only four ODIs in his three-year international career. In the same period, he has featured in 28 Tests.

But should Rohit be declared fit for the ODIs, the first of which begins only on June 14, the selectors may have to do some juggling. That, in turn, brings up another question surrounding the two senior pros. Should the two - in the wrong side of the 30s - be rested for the three-match series against Afghanistan, considering they have been playing non-stop for the last two months in the IPL?

It will not be an easy call for Agarkar & Co. But then, Agarkar's committee has never been shy of taking difficult decisions.

The other big point is whether to continue with Rishabh Pant in the ODI squad. He has been the second wicketkeeper in the side behind KL Rahul, and there have been question marks over his continuation, especially with players like Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson performing well of late. However, Pant has continued to be retained on the grounds that there is little basis to leave him out, considering he has not really had an opportunity in the playing XI. The same logic may prevail this time as well.

The other seminal question is whether to rest Bumrah and, if so, whether it should be for just one format or both. There is definitive information that Bumrah's workload will be discussed, and it will not come as a surprise if he is given a break for the Afghanistan series in order to have him fully fit for the England series in July. Equally significant will be the discussion around Auqib Nabi. The Jammu and Kashmir pacer had taken 60 wickets in the last Ranji Trophy season and is likely to be selected for the Test squad, if not for the ODIs.