India’s Squad For First Two Tests vs England ANNOUNCED

Delhi: It was a surprise as the Board of Control of Cricket in India announced the squad for the first two Tests versus England at 10:41 PM IST on Friday night. With the first Test between India and England scheduled to start in less than a fortnight, there were massive speculations over the squad that would be announced. The five-match Test series against England would be part of the current World Test Championship cycle and hence all matches would be of high relevance. Without a doubt, Rohit Sharma continues to lead the side.

India’s Squad For 1st Two Tests: Rohit Sharma (C ), S Gill, Y Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, S Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), KS Bharat (wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Avesh Khan.

Big names like Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, who are on a break are back for the Tests. At home, India start favourites and the conditions would test the visiting team, who are traditionally not good against spin. The surprise in the selection was the maiden call-up that Dhruv Jurel got on the back of a brilliant domestic season.

KL Rahul will play as a pure batter and Ishan Kishan has failed to find a spot. Pace bowler Mohammed Shami is set to miss the first two Tests due to an injury. He is likely to be available for selection from the third Test onwards.

Meanwhile, the Indian team got their T20 WC preparations off to a winning start as they beat Afghanistan at Mohali in the opening game of the three-match series.

Celebrating coach Rahul Dravid’s 51st birthday, India, under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma, triumphed where all-rounder Shivam Dube stole the spotlight. Dube’s stellar performance showcased his versatility, making a strong case as Hardik Pandya’s backup.

With the ball, he scalped a crucial wicket, dismissing Afghanistan’s captain Ibrahim Zadran with finesse. But it was with the bat that Dube truly shone, anchoring the innings with a career-best 60 runs, guiding India to victory with 15 balls to spare.

Jitesh Sharma, known for his explosive finishes in the IPL, entered the fray early in the ninth over and contributed impressive 31 off 20 balls. Axar Patel, stepping into the absence of Ravindra Jadeja, played a pivotal role with his darting deliveries, finishing with figures of 4-0-23-2.

With the T20 World Cup looming in less than six months, India seized the opportunity to test their young talents. Players like Axar Patel, who claimed 2 wickets for 23 runs, and Jitesh Sharma, delivering a fine cameo, showcased their mettle, contributing to India’s triumph and taking a 1-0 lead in the 3-match series.

Rohit Sharma etched his name in history, becoming the first men’s player to achieve 100 T20I wins, joining an elite group alongside England’s Dani Wyatt and Australia’s Alyssa Healy and Ellyse Perry.