India has made some notable changes to its squad for the remaining three Tests against England, with Shreyas Iyer being left out and several other players facing fitness concerns. Here’s a breakdown of the latest updates:
- Shreyas Iyer Omitted: Shreyas Iyer has been left out of the squad following his underwhelming performance in the first two Tests against England. Despite being considered one of India’s best batters against spin, Iyer struggled with his defense and strokeplay, prompting his exclusion from the team.
- Fitness Concerns for Jadeja and Rahul: Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul are part of the 17-member roster, but their availability is subject to fitness clearance from the BCCI’s medical team. Both players missed the second Test due to injuries – Jadeja with a hamstring issue and Rahul with a quad niggle.
- Maiden Test Call-up for Akash Deep: Bengal seamer Akash Deep has received his maiden Test call-up, adding depth to India’s bowling lineup. Deep impressed in the recent red-ball series against England Lions and has been rewarded for his consistent performances.
- Continued Absence of Virat Kohli: Virat Kohli remains unavailable for selection due to personal reasons, prolonging his absence from the Test squad.
- Other Squad Updates: Rajat Patidar, who made his debut in Visakhapatnam, retains his spot after scoring 32 and 9 in his first Test appearance. Additionally, uncapped player Sarfaraz Khan remains in the squad.
- Seam Bowling Options: With Mohammed Shami still recovering from an ankle injury, the seam bowling responsibilities will fall on Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, and the newly included Akash Deep.
The series against England is currently tied at 1-1, with three Tests remaining. The third Test is set to begin on February 15 in Rajkot, followed by matches in Ranchi and Dharamsala.
Here’s the updated squad for the last three Tests:
- Rohit Sharma (capt), Jasprit Bumrah (vice-capt), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (wk), KS Bharat (wk), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep
The Indian team will aim to make the necessary adjustments and continue their quest for victory in the upcoming matches against England.
