In a significant development ahead of the highly anticipated five-match Test series in England, commencing June 20, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has unveiled an 18-member squad under the leadership of the newly appointed Test captain, Shubman Gill. The selection, made by the Ajit Agarkar-led senior men’s selection committee, marks a generational shift in Indian Test cricket, with Gill succeeding the recently retired Rohit Sharma.
Speaking on Gill’s elevation, Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar remarked, “He is very young, but we’ve seen steady growth in his maturity and leadership qualities. It’s a high-pressure role, but we are confident in his abilities.”
Rishabh Pant, returning to international cricket with strong performances, has been named vice-captain, moving ahead of senior players KL Rahul and Jasprit Bumrah in the leadership hierarchy.
Among the notable selections, Sai Sudharsan has earned his maiden Test call-up following an impressive run in domestic and India A fixtures. Also making a return to the red-ball setup is Karun Nair, rewarded for his prolific form in domestic cricket.
Veteran seamer Mohammed Shami has not been included, with Agarkar clarifying that the pacer is yet to achieve the fitness levels required for the rigours of Test cricket. Meanwhile, Harshit Rana and Sarfaraz Khan also miss out on the main squad, instead being assigned duties with the India A team that will play preparatory first-class fixtures in England.
Fast-bowling allrounder Shardul Thakur returns to the squad, while pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah will lead the attack alongside Mohammed Siraj, with Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, and Arshdeep Singh offering additional depth. Agarkar noted that Bumrah is unlikely to feature in all five Tests, with workload management a priority.
India’s spin department features Kuldeep Yadav, complemented by spin-bowling allrounders Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar.
The five-Test series, starting at Headingley on June 20, will also mark the beginning of India’s campaign in the new cycle of the ICC World Test Championship.
India’s Test Squad for the England Tour:
Shubman Gill (Captain), Rishabh Pant (Vice-Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.
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