Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel Return to Test Squad; Dhruv Jurel Gets First Call-Up
In exciting cricket news, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel are back in the national squad for the upcoming Test series against England. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) just revealed the 16-man squad for the first two Tests, kicking off on January 25 in Hyderabad.
Now, the return of seasoned pacer Mohammed Shami got everyone buzzing, but there's a twist. Shami, recovering from an ankle injury, surprisingly didn't make the cut. Some say it might be a strategic move by the selectors and the BCCI medical team.
This 33-year-old speedster hasn't played since the ODI World Cup final back in November 2023. The fast bowling duties now rest on the shoulders of vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah, supported by the fiery Mohammed Siraj, along with the promising duo of Mukesh Kumar and Avesh Khan. Shami's absence opens the door for these young guns to shine on the big stage.
Switching gears to spin, the spin department looks formidable with R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. But there's more – the return of Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel completes a spin quartet that seems ready to spin a web against the English team.
While everyone was talking about the bowling lineup, a new face, Dhruv Jurel, popped up. The wicketkeeper-batsman from Uttar Pradesh earned his maiden call-up, adding depth to the wicketkeeping department alongside KL Rahul and KS Bharat. Rahul, who did the glovework in the Tests against South Africa, now has a young and talented backup.
On a slightly different note, Ishan Kishan, who took a break from the ongoing T20I series against Afghanistan, won't be part of the Test squad. On the flip side, Avesh Khan, who replaced Shami in the South Africa tour, retained his spot despite being uncapped in Test cricket.
Now, here's the curveball – Prasidh Krishna, the debutant from Centurion, got left out due to a quadriceps injury during a Ranji Trophy match. As the Karnataka team physio tends to him, we're all wondering about his road to recovery and whether he'll join the India A support staff currently busy with a match against England Lions in Ahmedabad.
So, here's the squad for the first two Tests against England: Rohit Sharma (Captain), S Gill, Y Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, S Iyer, KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), KS Bharat (wicketkeeper), Dhruv Jurel (wicketkeeper), R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah (Vice-Captain), Avesh Khan. Let the cricketing saga unfold!