The BCCI, on Sunday, announced Team India’s squad for the rescheduled fifth Test against England. The Test was scheduled to take place last year but was cancelled due to Covid-19. Both the teams will fight it out for the final Test of the five-match series from July 1 in Edgbaston.
Senior batsman Cheteshwar Pujara has earned a recall to the Test side after his scintillating displays in the ongoing County Championship. Pujara was dropped for the home series against Sri Lanka earlier this year following a series of poor performances. Playing for Sussex, Pujara has scored two centuries, two double centuries and one fifty in just 5 games.
Shubman Gill has also been named in the team while fellow opener Mayank Agarwal has been dropped. KS Bharat is the second keeper in the squad instead of Wriddhiman Saha. The selectors have also dropped Suryakumar Yadav and Prithvi Shaw, who were called up last year as injury replacements.
Ajinkya Rahane, Ishant Sharma ignored:
The selectors have once again ignored senior duo Ishant Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane. Both the players were part of India’s squad for the first four Tests against England last year. While Rahane played in all the four games, Ishant played in two of the four games.
The selectors have pinned their faith in Shreyas Iyer once again for the middle-order role. Earlier this year, Iyer had made an impressive Test debut after replacing Rahane in India’s middle-order. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami will lead the pace attack while Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Prasidh Krishna and Shardul Thakur complete the pace attack.
Ravindra Jadeja named in the squad:
The selectors have included allrounder Ravindra Jadeja in the squad. There were doubts over his participation in the upcoming game after he suffered a rib injury in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). The injury had ended Jadeja’s IPL season abruptly. However, the selectors have named him in the team.
India leading the series:
Talking about the series, India are leading it by 2-1. The Rohit Sharma-led side need just a draw to win a remarkable series. The first match of the series had ended in a draw before India won the second Test. England then won the following game to draw level before India won the fourth to take the lead.
India have not won a Test series in England since 2007. Captain Rohit, who will be leading India in Tests outside home for the first time, has a golden opportunity to register his name in the history books.
India’s Test squad:
Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul (vc) Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Cheteshwar Pujara, Rishabh Pant (wk), KS Bharat (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Prasidh Krishna