Border-Gavaskar Trophy: India’s Test Squad Unleashed – Shami Out, New Faces In!

The BCCI has declared the 18-man Indian team to feature in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia starting from November 22. Rohit Sharma has been given the captain's job while vice-captain has remained Jasprit Bumrah. Mohammed Shami who returns after injury has not been selected. Amongst those playing for the first time are Abhimanyu Easwaran and Nitish Kumar Reddy while Mukesh Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed and Navdeep Saini have also left with the team as net bowlers on this tour.

 

India Test Squad for 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, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd. Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar.

Mukesh Kumar, Navdeep Saini, Khaleel Ahmed.

Mohammed Shami Not in the list: Another Selection Controversy

The absence more than obvious, many had spoken about Shami's inclusion with an early-than-hoped return from Achilles tendon surgery earlier in the year. Bengal coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla confirmed that Shami, though missing the Ranji Trophy match against Kerala, would play for Bengal in their third-round game against Karnataka and their fourth-round match against Madhya Pradesh. However, Shami's last exclusion from the Test squad has ended that speculation.

Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav Also Missed Out

India's team will not feature left-arm spinner Axar Patel, the selectors have instead picked R. Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar. The latter made a strong comeback with seven wickets against New Zealand and has been preferred ahead of Patel.

Chronic left groin injury will rule out Kuldeep Yadav also, who is going through rehab at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. He was a match winner for India in their series-winning campaign in Australia during the 2018-19 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.