New Delhi: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has unveiled a 16-man squad for the first two Tests against England, set to commence from January 25. In a surprising move, 22-year-old Dhruv Jurel has earned his maiden call-up as a back-up wicketkeeping option. The absence of Ishan Kishan, who took a break from cricket citing mental fatigue, led to the inclusion of Jurel in the squad.
Notably, the squad does not feature veteran fast bowler Mohammed Shami, who continues to recover from an ankle injury incurred during the 2023 ODI World Cup campaign in November. Shami expressed optimism about returning to the Test squad, but the selectors have opted for caution, allowing him more rest before the later stages of the series against England.
Fast bowler Prasidh Krishna is also missing from the squad due to a reported quadriceps injury sustained during Karnataka’s Ranji Trophy clash against Gujarat.
Avesh Khan has retained his place in the squad after his performance for India A during the South Africa tour. He joins a formidable pace attack consisting of vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Mukesh Kumar. The spin combination includes Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav.
KL Rahul, who kept wickets in both Test matches of the South Africa series, and KS Bharat are the primary wicketkeeping options, with Dhruv Jurel serving as the back-up.
India’s squad for the first two Tests against England:
Rohit Sharma (C)
Shubman Gill
Yashasvi Jaiswal
Virat Kohli
Shreyas Iyer
KL Rahul (WK)
KS Bharat (WK)
Dhruv Jurel (WK)
Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravindra Jadeja
Axar Patel
Kuldeep Yadav
Mohd. Siraj
Mukesh Kumar
Jasprit Bumrah (VC)
Avesh Khan
This series marks India’s third assignment in the ongoing World Test Championship cycle and their first at home. The team previously won the two-match series in West Indies and secured a 1-1 draw against South Africa in a two-match series.
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