Aoba Tanaka 
In a much-anticipated announcement, India’s Test squad for the first two home matches against England has been revealed, sparking excitement among cricket enthusiasts. Mohammed Shami will be absent but the selection brings back spin maestros Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel, adding depth to India’s spin-heavy lineup.
While the spin department sees reinforcements, the absence of pace spearhead Mohammed Shami raises eyebrows. Shami, on the road to recovery from an ankle injury, has been held back, possibly as a precautionary measure. The 33-year-old hasn’t seen competitive action since the ODI World Cup final in November last year.
In the fast-bowling contingent, the onus will be on vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, and Avesh Khan. Their collective efforts aim to complement the spin duo of R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, along with the returning Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel.
In a notable inclusion, young wicketkeeper-batsman Dhruv Jurel earns his maiden call-up to the Test squad, serving as the backup to KL Rahul. Rahul, who donned the gloves in the South Africa Tests, will continue his dual role in the upcoming series.
Ishan Kishan, taking a break from the ongoing T20I series against Afghanistan, finds no place in the Test squad. Meanwhile, Avesh Khan, a recent addition to the Test squad in South Africa, retains his spot, underscoring the team’s faith in the 27-year-old who is yet to debut in Test cricket.
Pacer Prasidh Krishna, who made his Test debut in Centurion, misses out due to a quadriceps injury sustained during a Ranji Trophy clash. While the Karnataka team physio tends to Prasidh, the BCCI-contracted player could potentially link up with the India A support staff for further rehabilitation.
Ruturaj Gaikwad, nursing a finger injury, and Abhimanyu Easwaran, who replaced Gaikwad as the reserve opener in South Africa, are excluded. Additionally, Shardul Thakur, who faced challenges at SuperSport Park leaking 101 runs in 19 overs, is not part of the selected squad.
Dhruv Jurel’s inclusion follows his impressive performance, scoring a half-century for India A against South Africa A in a four-day first-class fixture in Benoni. The 21-year-old, with 15 first-class games under his belt, brings promise and versatility to the squad.
Star spinner R Ashwin is on the cusp of achieving significant milestones, being ten wickets away from 500 in Test cricket and five matches away from his 100th Test appearance. The much-anticipated five-match series against England kicks off in Hyderabad on January 25 and holds significance as part of the World Test Championship (WTC). India currently stands second on the WTC points table, trailing defending champions Australia.
The selected squad, led by captain Rohit Sharma and vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah, features a blend of experience and emerging talent, setting the stage for an intriguing battle against England.
