BCCI has announced the India's Test squad for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-2025 series against Australia which is slated to start from November 22.
Surprisingly Mohammed Shami found his name missing in India's 18-member squad as he is still recovering from his ankle injury. Rohit Sharma will lead the Indian team, with Jasprit Bumrah serving as the vice-captain. Abhimanyu Easwaran and Nitish Kumar Reddy have earned their maiden call-ups to the Indian team. Additionally, Mukesh Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed, and Navdeep Saini have been named as reserves for the tour.
India’s squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy
Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (WK), R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Mohd. Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar.
Reserves: Mukesh Kumar, Navdeep Saini, Khaleel Ahmed
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Mohammed Shami, a notable absentee in India's squad for BGT
The speculations were rife about Shami's inclusion before the team announcement. Following his recovery from Achilles tendon surgery earlier this year, many predicted India's superstar selection in India's squad. The news about him making his return to cricket through two Ranji Trophy matches for Bengal also fanned the speculations. Bengal coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla confirmed that Shami will miss the upcoming match against Kerala but is expected to join the team for their Round 3 match against Karnataka and the subsequent Round 4 match against Madhya Pradesh. However, the suspense over Shami's inclusion finally ended with India's Test squad announcement.
Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel too sit out
India opted to exclude Axar Patel, their premier left-arm spinner, from the tour. Instead, they selected three spinners: R. Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Washington Sundar. Sundar, who made a strong comeback with a seven-wicket haul in the first Test against New Zealand, was preferred over Patel.
Kuldeep Yadav was also unavailable for selection due to a chronic left groin issue. He is set to undergo rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. Kuldeep's absence is significant, especially considering his impressive performance in the 2018-19 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where he played a crucial role in India's historic series win in Australia.
