India announce squad for first two Tests against England; Dhruv Jurel earns maiden call-up; no Shami, Ishan
On Friday, January 12, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) unveiled the senior men’s squad for the initial two Tests of the forthcoming five-match series against England. In a noteworthy development, Dhruv Jurel, the young wicketkeeper-batsman, has received his debut call-up, while Ishan Kishan remains absent due to his requested break, as confirmed by head coach Rahul Dravid.
Rahul Dravid further disclosed that Ishan Kishan has not made himself available for selection yet. The squad selection reflects India’s intent to field a spin-heavy side, with the return of left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav and left-arm orthodox bowler Axar Patel, providing support to the established spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.
The announcement also entails the exclusion of bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur and emerging right-arm pacer Prasidh Krishna, who featured in the Test side during the recent two-match series against South Africa on the latter’s home turf. Their lackluster performances seem to have prompted the selectors to opt for a more spin-focused strategy.
Meanwhile, the absence of veteran pacer Mohammed Shami persists, as he continues rehabilitation due to an ankle condition that ruled him out of the South Africa tour, despite initially being named in the squad.
Jasprit Bumrah, who previously served as vice-captain during the South Africa tour, will once again shoulder that responsibility. He is currently not part of India’s ongoing T20I series against Afghanistan, having been rested following India’s 1-1 draw against South Africa.
Dhruv Jurel earns maiden call-up as India name 16-man squad for first two Tests against England
The squad’s surprise inclusion is Uttar Pradesh cricketer Dhruv Jurel, who serves as a backup wicketkeeper to KL Rahul. Rahul took on the wicketkeeping duties in both matches of the Test series in South Africa, alongside KS Bharat. Jurel, a young talent, featured in the India A team during two matches against South African counterparts in December of the previous year. Notably, he showcased his batting prowess by scoring 69 in the second match at Benoni. Additionally, in the Ranji Trophy’s first-round group game, he contributed with a score of 63 for Uttar Pradesh against Kerala.
The 22-year-old, who made his First-Class debut last year against Vidarbha, has accumulated a total of 790 runs from 15 matches in the domestic circuit. Impressively, he maintains an average of 46, including a century and five half-centuries, showcasing his promising performance and potential.
The India squad for the first two Tests against England comprises Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), KS Bharat (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah (VC), and Avesh Khan.
Also read: Hardik Pandya’s Fitness Update After Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s T20I Return
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