The BCCI named India’s team for the next three Tests against England on February 12. There were significant changes to the side that won the Vizag Test match.
Ravindra Jadeja, the all-rounder, and KL Rahul, the wicketkeeper, got back on the team, their playing, however, is uncertain till they pass the fitness tests. Rahul is out of the third Test for sure with Devdutt Padikkal stepping in his position instead.
New faces. Sarfaraz Khan, Rajat Patidar, and Dhruv Jurel remained in the team, while seasoned batter Shreyas Iyer was left out. Here’s the Indian squad:
Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (WK), KS Bharat (WK), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja*, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar and Akash Deep.
Get ready! The series’ third Test kicks off on Thursday, February 15, in Rajkot. Let’s quickly peek at three key learnings from India’s squad for the series’ upcoming games.
1. Akash Deep comes in for Avesh Khan
Avesh Khan was chosen to India’s squad for the first two Tests, however he was released to play the Ranji Trophy as the team management did not choose him for the playing XI. The selectors have now decided to overlook Khan for the rest of the series.
Fast bowler Akash Deep has taken his position and is set to make his Test debut. Deep was in excellent form during the recent unofficial Test series against the England Lions, when he took two four-wicket hauls in two games.
2. Sourabh Kumar and Shreyas Iyer dropped, KS Bharat survives
Sourabh Kumar, an all-rounder, was a late addition to India’s team for the second Test against England in Vizag. Following KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja’s injuries, the selectors added Kumar, Washington Sundar, and Sarfaraz Khan to the roster.
Sundar and Khan have kept their positions in the team, but Kumar has been left out. Even Shreyas Iyer has been dropped. Some sources suggested Iyer was having back problems, but another claimed he was dismissed due to poor form.
KS Bharat, the wicketkeeper, has not been very good with the bat this series. However, the team’s management has backed him for the following three matches.
3. Virat Kohli set to miss his 1st Test series for India in 13 years
For the first time in 13 years, star Indian batter Virat Kohli will miss an entire Test series. Kohli has always claimed that the Test format is his favorite, and the fact that he has not missed a single series in the previous 13 years demonstrates how much he enjoys the game’s purest version.
However, owing to personal issues, Kohli remains unavailable for selection. The BCCI indicated in a press statement that it completely respects Kohli’s choice. Rajat Patidar may have more opportunities to demonstrate his abilities while he is away.
