The All-India Senior Selection Committee has picked the Indian squad for the inaugural ICC World Test Championship final and the five-match Test series against England. While most of the popular faces in the longest format have made the squad, all-rounder Hardik Pandya and opener Prithi Shaw have been excluded.
After much deliberation, the Indian selectors have announced the squad for the World Test Championship final and Test series against England. While most of the players selected in the squad were anticipated to make the cut, players like Prithvi Shaw and Hardik Pandya were ignored.
Hardik didn’t bowl a single over in the 14th edition of the IPL and didn’t do much with the bat either. Prithi Shaw, on the other hand, scored 827 runs in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, which included 4 tons and had a magnificent IPL season but was still overlooked by the selectors.
King Kohli will lead the side, with Ajinkya Rahane named as the vice-captain of the Indian team.
Moreover, KL Rahul, who was diagnosed with acute appendicitis and Wriddhiman Saha, who was diagnosed COVID positive, have also been included in the side. However, their availability will depend on how quickly they recover.
India’s squad
Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (Captain), Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), R. Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohd. Shami, Md. Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav, KL Rahul, Wriddhiman Saha
Standby players
Abhimanyu Easwaran, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan, Arzan Nagwaswalla
The batting department had no surprise picks. However, in the pace bowling department, a lot of youngsters have been included as standby players. Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan and Arzan Nagwaswalla have been included in the squad on the back of impressive performances in the domestic circuit. Avesh Khan especially had an incredible IPL for the Delhi Capitals. Meanwhile the star pacers like Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammad Shami and Shardul Thakur have retained their place in the side.
India’s Test cricketers might leave earlier than expected to England for the World Test Championship final against New Zealand due to the devastating second wave of COVID-19 pandemic, which forced many countries to impose travel restrictions. The final will be played in Southampton from June 18.
