Indian skipper Virat Kohli returned to the national side as the BCCI announced the Test squad to take on England in the very first two matches of the upcoming 4-match series on Tuesday. All-rounder Hardik Pandya and senior rapidly bower Ishant Sharma, who have been not aspect of the just-concluded Test series in Australia, have produced a comeback to the side. Ishant missed the series Down Under due to an injury he suffered throughout the IPL 2020, though Hardik was omitted as he hadn’t resumed bowling following undergoing a back surgery.
Leading rapidly bowler Jasprit Bumrah and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who missed the fourth Test against Australia due to injuries, have also been named in the squad.Given the spin-friendly nature of Indian pitch, the selectors have opted for an added spinner in Axar Patel, along side the likes of Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar.Mohammed Siraj, who completed as India’s top wicket-taker in Australia series with 13 wickets, has discovered a location, though Shardul Thakur, who had an impressive overseas debut, has also been inlcuded in the side.In addition, the selectors have also named 4 reserve players KS Bharat, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shahbaz Nadeem and Rahul Chahar, who will be integrated in the squad in case of injuries.Fast bowler Umesh Yadav and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who have been each ruled out of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in the middle of the series, will miss the very first two Tests slated to be played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. The very first Test will start on February 5, though the second match of the 4-match series will commence on February 13.The final two matches of the series will be played at the biggest cricket stadium in the globe — Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad.India’s squad for very first two Tests against England: Virat Kohli (capt), Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Wriddhiman Saha, Hardik Pandya, KL Rahul (topic to fitness), Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohammad Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, and Axar Patel
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