Former cricketers, national selectors have given a thumbs up to the team selected by Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee, Saturday afternoon, for the tour to England.
Twenty five-year-old Shubhman Gill was expectedly named India’s new Test captain by the senior selection committee led by former India medium pacer Ajit Agarkar. He will lead an 18-member squad which will play a five Test match series beginning June 20.
It is a good team given the choice that was there and the experience available to selectors.
Opener B Sai Sudershan and bowler Asrshdeep Singh are new comers in the side while top order batsman Karun Nair made a comeback after eight years to the test side, his last test for India was against Australia in Dharamsala in 2017. Shardul Thakur’s last Test match was in Centurion, South Africa in 2023.
Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Abhimanyu Easwaran in addition to Gill, Rishabh Pant, Sudharsan and Nair form the crux of Indian batting . 24-year-old Dhruv Jurel is the back up wicket keeper in the side. The team has four allrounders (two pace, two spin) in Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Thakur and Nitish Kumar Reddy.
There are five specialist fast bowlers – Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna and Arshdeep. The squad, sans super stars Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma with both having called it a day from Test cricket recently, is a mix of youth and experience but leaning more towards the former. Kuldeep Yadav the only specialist spinner in the team.
Jasprit Bumrah will be there for three Tests atleast - given that it is a good balanced side. One cannot make a champion side overnight. There will be ups and downs this was the best side available though I feel we need to find a good left arm spinner now. The four top players are young and going good.
He has made a great comeback. This is a good side, especially for future.
England is a tough tour, lots of challenges will be there. It has never been an easy tour.
Indeed England is a tough tour but India did fairly well on its last two tours in 2018 and 2021-22.
Somebody will have to put his hands up and score. Nothing comes easy in life, I am happy for the opportunities to come the youngsters’ way.
I think he is very strong headed, he will be fine as captain. He is calm and composed, and understands the game from whatever we have seen in IPL.
It is never easy to replace cricketers of that stature but give it time, I am sure the youngsters will come through.
Rathour was happy for Gill being made Test captain.
He is doing a really good job with Gujarat Titans, there aren’t in any case too many options just need to give him time.
Rathour was fine with the bowling department even though Bumrah would not be available for entire five match Test series and Mohammed Shami hasn’t been picked.
It’s a fair bowling line up – I am sure Bumrah will play atleast 3 Tests and Prasidh Krishna is really bowling well. Having said that it will not be an easy tour.
