Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah Return As BCCI Announces Squad For World Test Championship Final and England Test Series

Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah returned as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced Test squad for the World Test Championship final against New Zealand and the five-match Test series against England. Hanuma Vihari, who missed the Test series against England with an injury, has also made a comeback to the side. The selectors also named KL Rahul and Wriddhiman Saha in the squad but their inclusion is "subject to fitness clearance", the BCCI tweeted. All-rounder Hardik Pandya and leg-spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who were part of the home Test series against England, have been dropped, while fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar has also been left out.

India's squad: Virat Kohli (C), Ajinkya Rahane (VC), Rohit Sharma, Gill, Mayank, Cheteshwar Pujara, H. Vihari, Rishabh (WK), R. Ashwin, R. Jadeja, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Bumrah, Ishant, Shami, Siraj, Shardul, Umesh.

KL Rahul & Saha (WK) subject to fitness clearance.

— BCCI (@BCCI) May 7, 2021

KL Rahul was recently hospitalised after being diagnosed with acute appendicitis, while Saha tested positive for COVID-19 while he was in the SunRisers Hyderabad's bio-bubble.

The BCCI also named four standby players -- Abhimanyu Easwaran, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan, Arzan Nagwaswalla -- who will board the flight to England.

Prasidh Krishna impressed one and all during his limited-overs debut against England, while Avesh Khan was one of Delhi Capitals' standout bowlers during the IPL 2021 -- that has been suspended indefinitely.

India's four-month long tour will begin with the World Test Championship final against New Zealand from June 18 in Southampton. The five-Test series against England will begin on August 4 in Nottingham. The team will then travel to London for the second Test at the Lord's from August 12 to 16.

The third Test will be played at Headingley, Leeds from August 25 to 29, while the last two matches will be played at the Oval, London (September 2-6) and the Old Trafford stadium in Manchester (September 10-14) respectively.

India's squad: Virat Kohli (capt), Ajinkya Rahane (vice capt), Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravichnadran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav.

KL Rahul and Wriddhiman Saha (subject to fitness clearance)

Standby: Abhimanyu Easwaran, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan, Arzan Nagwaswalla

Topics mentioned in this article

India Cricket Team England Cricket Team New Zealand Cricket Team Jasprit Bumrah BCCI Cricket