After much speculation, the Indian cricket selection committee finally announced the team for the last three Tests against England. The team will be without its captain, Virat Kohli, who has opted to take a break from the series for personal reasons. In his absence, Rohit Sharma will captain the side.
Another important update is the inclusion of KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja, subject to their fitness recovery. While Rahul missed the second Test due to injury, he is expected to be fit for the third Test in Rajkot. Jadeja’s recovery will be monitored as the team assembles in Rajkot. Both players’ presence would be a relief for the team management, especially concerning the vulnerable middle order.
However, the team selectors decided to leave out Shreyas Iyer for the remaining Tests. While there were reports of Iyer experiencing back stiffness, it is understood that the team management and selectors were considering other options for the struggling middle order. Iyer’s recent performances have been a cause for concern, particularly his struggles against bouncing and moving deliveries. Despite having a reputation as a strong player of spin bowling, Iyer has looked out of form in the series so far.
It is worth mentioning that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) explicitly stated Kohli’s reason for absence and mentioned Jadeja and Rahul’s recovery from injuries. However, no specific reason was provided for Iyer’s omission.
The team management and selection committee had shown faith in Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill to fill in for Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane in the middle order. Gill’s century in the second innings of the last Test provided some relief, but Iyer’s struggles increased the pressure on him. As a result, the selectors are exploring other options for the middle order as well.
If Jadeja is deemed fit, it will be interesting to see the composition of the playing XI in the next Test. The inclusion of Kuldeep Yadav in the last Test has added to the team’s options. However, given the absence of Kohli and the relatively weaker batting lineup, the team might consider playing Axar Patel ahead of Kuldeep. This would strengthen the batting order and provide another spin-bowling option for the team.
The Indian team has also made some changes to the squad. Bengal pacer Akash Deep has been added, while Avesh Khan has been released.
The announced Indian squad for the remaining three Tests against England includes Rohit Sharma (captain), Jasprit Bumrah (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (wicket-keeper), KS Bharat (wicket-keeper), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, and Akash Deep. These players will be crucial in determining India’s performance in the upcoming Tests against England.
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