India vs England Test Squad Announcement Highlights: The BCCI and the selection committee have announced India's squad for the remaining Tests against England. Star batter Virat Kohli will continue to miss the series, due to personal reasons. Batter Shreyas Iyer has also been dropped from the squad for the remaining Tests as according to some reports, he suffered groin injury. All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul, who had missed the second Test due to injuries, have been renamed in the squad. However, there participation will be subjected to fitness clearance. On the other hand, Royal Challengers Bangalore pacer Akash Deep has earned his maiden Test call-up for India.
Here are the Highlights of India's squad announcement for the last three Tests against England:
- 11:35 (IST)India Squad for 3 Tests vs England Live: De Villiers' massive u-turnAfter the shocking revelation about Kohli's absence, AB de Villiers took a shocking u-turn on his own statement. He told Dainik Bhaskar, "Family comes first and then Cricket. I had made a big mistake on my YouTube channel. That information was wrong and not true at all. I think whatever's best for Virat's family comes first. No one knows what's happening there, all i can do is wish him well. Whatever the reason for his break, I hope he can comeback stronger, better and fresh from this."
- 11:33 (IST)India Squad for 3 Tests vs England Live: Questions on Virat's absenceVirat Kohli is all set to miss the remainder of the five-match Test series against England. Though BCCI have urged the fans and media to respect Kohli's privacy and not to assume the reason behind his absence, many speculations are still being made. His former RCB teammate AB de Villiers left everyone stunned after he revealed in a podcast that Kohli and wife Anushka Sharma are expecting their second child.
- 11:07 (IST)India Squad for 3 Tests vs England Live: India's full squadRohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul*, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (WK), KS Bharat (WK), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja*, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep
- 11:06 (IST)India Squad for 3 Tests vs England Live: Sarfaraz, Patidar, Jurel renamedYoung batters Dhruv Jurel, Rajat Patidar, and Sarfaraz Khan have retained their spots in the squad for the remaining Tests. Out of these three, only Patidar has earned his maiden Test cap as he featured in the second Test. As Kohli and Iyer are out, there are chances that Ranji Trophy star Sarfaraz may get his debut cap.
- 11:04 (IST)India Squad for 3 Tests vs England Live: Bumrah retains his placeAfter the heroic performance in the second Test, many reports emerged that the team management might rest pacer Jasprit Bumrah, in order to manage his workload. However, the 30-year-old pacer, who is also India's vice-captain in Test cricket, has been renamed in the squad for the remaining matches against England.
- 11:02 (IST)India Squad for 3 Tests vs England Live: Akash Deep gets maiden call-upRoyal Challengers Bangalore pacer Akash Deep has earned his maiden Test call-up for India. The 27-year-old pacer was really impressive with the ball against England Lions during an unofficial day's game in Ahmedabad a few days ago.
- 10:59 (IST)India Squad for 3 Tests vs England Live: Shreyas Iyer outApart from Virat Kohli, batter Shreyas Iyer has also been dropped from the squad for the remaining Tests against England. Earlier on Friday, the Indian Express had reported that Iyer had complained of stiffness on his back and pain in his groin area while batting. The report further claimed that although the kits of all the India cricketers were sent to Rajkot from Visakhapatnam, Iyer's equipment was sent to his home in Mumbai.
- 10:55 (IST)India Squad for 3 Tests vs England Live: Rahul-Jadeja in with a conditionAll-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul, who had missed the second Test due to injuries, have been renamed in the squad. However, there participation will be subjected to fitness clearance. BCCI stated, "The participation of Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul is subject to fitness clearance from the BCCI medical team."
- 10:51 (IST)India Squad for 3 Tests vs England Live: Virat Kohli outIt has now been confirmed that star batter Virat Kohli has withdrawn from the remaining Tests against England. The BCCI in their latest release stated, "Virat Kohli will remain unavailable for selection for the remainder of the series due to personal reasons. The Board fully respects and supports Mr. Kohli’s decision."
- 10:01 (IST)India Squad for 3 Tests vs England Live: This RCB star to get maiden call-upAs per the reports of the Indian Express, Royal Challengers Bangalore pacer Akash Deep is also likely to earn his maiden Test call-up for India for the remaining Tests against England. The selection committee has decided to choose Akash over Avesh Khan, in order to let the latter play in the ongoing Ranji Trophy. Akash was really impressive with the ball against England Lions during an unofficial day’s game in Ahmedabad a few days ago.
- 09:44 (IST)India Squad for 3 Tests vs England Live: Virat Kohli withdrawsAccording to the reports of the Indian Express, star batter Virat Kohli has withdrawn from the remaining three Tests against England. Kohli has reportedly informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the senior national selection committee regarding his decision to skip the series. It has also been stated that Kohli informed the BCCI about his availability on Friday.
- 09:35 (IST)India Squad for 3 Tests vs England Live: Here's what Rohit had said"Leaving out an experienced player or not considering them is very hard. The amount of runs they've scored, the kind of experience they've had, the amount of games they have won for us, you know, it's very hard to ignore all of that," the skipper had all empathy for his longtime teammates. But, you know, you sometimes have to bring certain players into your set-up as well. You have to give them favourable conditions as you don't want to expose them on foreign doors, where they've not played before. So, I think it's important that we try and get some of these youngsters an opportunity
- 08:38 (IST)India Squad for 3 Tests vs England Live: Will Pujara return?Veteran batter Cheteshwar Pujara has delivered yet another strong performance in the ongoing Ranji Trophy with a magnificent century. The 36-year-old batter, who has been sidelined by the selectors since June 2023, is likely to make comeback into the team in the absence of Virat Kohli.
- 08:25 (IST)India Squad for 3 Tests vs England Live: Good morningHello and welcome back to our live coverage of the India's squad announcement for the remaining three Tests of the five-match series against England. The fans are eagerly waiting to know the Indian squad but the wait still continues. Stay tuned for all the live updates.
- 00:10 (IST)India Squad for Last 3 Tests Live: Kohli's breakIn the midst of all the selection speculation surrounding Virat Kohli's inclusion, South African pace great Dale Steyn has something interesting to say on his break from cricket. "I think family is your most important priority. I'm sorry, like, that's it, you know. That's the end of the story. Like right there," Steyn remarked during the virtual interaction.
- 22:53 (IST)India Squad for Last 3 Tests Live: Jadeja's injuryThe wait for the squad continues. According to reports, it might come on Saturday. The fitness status of Ravindra Jadeja is causing the delay. The spinner missed the previous Test due to injury but as the third Test is a crucial one, the BCCI wants to wait for his fitness status.
- 21:09 (IST)India Squad Announcement LIVE: Here is the latest update -According to fresh reports, the squad for the remaining three Tests is likely to be announced within the next 24 hours. Shreyash Iyer is out of the team due to injury while KL Rahul joins the side back for the series, stated reports. Virat Kohli stays unavailable for selection, said the latest update.
- 18:57 (IST)India Squad Announcement LIVE: Mixed bag of emotions for India!While the latest update on KL Rahul's fitness comes as a big boost for India, the doubt over Virat Kohli's availability still persists. The BCCI has so far refrained itself from commenting on the matter officially. On the other hand, Ravindra Jadeja is also showing good signs of improvement.
- 18:39 (IST)India Squad Announcement LIVE: Steyn backs Kohli!Voicing his support for Indian star batter Virat Kohli amid the chatter around his absence from the Test series against England, South African pace great Dale Steyn said "family should come first and that should be the end of the story." Virat Kohli has missed the first two Tests due to personal reasons and his comeback to the Indian team is expected to be delayed further as he is set to skip the third and fourth Tests too while remaining uncertain for the final match. Read more
- 17:15 (IST)India Squad Announcement LIVE: KL Rahul to play Rajkot Test?India batter KL Rahul is expected to join up with the squad for the third Test of the five-match series against England, starting February 15 in Rajkot. Rahul, who missed the second Test due to an injury, was recently spotted at the Mumbai airport. A video has gone viral on social media where Rahul was seen posing with fans before entering the lobby at the Terminal 2 of Mumbai Airport.
- 16:55 (IST)India Squad Announcement LIVE: Bharat under the scanner!Sanjay Manjrekar expressed his disappointment at the performance of wicket-keeper KS Bharat in the first two Tests against England. Bharat got a good start on a couple of occasions but was unable to convert that into a big knock. During a recent interaction, Manjrekar said that Bharat has not looked great since replacing Ishan Kishan in the Test series against South Africa and if he fails to produce a great show, the team management will have to look beyond for better options. Read More
- 15:33 (IST)India Squad Announcement LIVE: AB de Villiers' U-turn!Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers has said that he "made a terrible mistake" by sharing "false information" about the personal reasons that have forced star India batter Virat Kohli to take a break from international cricket, insisting that he has no idea "what's happening there". On his YouTube channel a few days ago, de Villiers had claimed that Kohli opted out of the first two Tests of the ongoing home series against England due to the impending arrival of his second child with actor wife Anushka Sharma. READ MORE
- 15:14 (IST)India Squad Announcement LIVE: In case you missed it!Indian cricket team all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja on Thursday took to social media to provide a massive injury update ahead of the team selection for the remaining three Test matches against England. The cricketer posted a picture of himself from the National Cricket Academy along with the caption - "Getting better".
- 14:51 (IST)India Squad Announcement LIVE: Meeting expected todayThe BCCI selectors are expected to meet today and the team selection will answer a lot of questions that hold huge implications for Indian cricket in the future. Shreyas Iyer's reported injury is a big concern ahead of the IPL as well as the T20 World Cup while the fans will be waiting to know what the future holds for Virat Kohli who opted out of the first two matches due to 'personal reasons'.
- 11:00 (IST)India Squad Announcement LIVE: Selection not delayed due to Virat!Rumours have been rampant that Kohli is likely to miss the next two Tests and the selectors were waiting for his confirmation before selecting the squad. However, a report by Sports Tak claims that the delay in naming the squad is due to the fact that selectors are waiting for the fitness reports for Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul from the National Cricket Academy (NCA).
- 21:14 (IST)India Squad Announcement LIVE: Selection meeting to take place on Friday?According to a report by Sports Tak, the Indian cricket team squad for the last three Tests against England will be announced on Friday as they are awaiting the fitness results of Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul from NCA.
- 20:20 (IST)India Squad Announcement LIVE: Wait continuesThe wait continues for the squad selection with the biggest questions remaining over Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah. Some good news as well for India as reports claimed that KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja can be making their return very soon.
- 18:31 (IST)India Squad Announcement LIVE: Squad selection meetingA report by Cricbuzz states that the meeting of BCCI officials to choose the squad is scheduled for Thursday, barring any unforeseen circumstances that might necessitate a postponement to Friday due to the unavailability of key personnel.
- 17:55 (IST)India Squad Announcement LIVE: England great on Virat's absence
Former England skipper Nasser Hussain backed Virat Kohli's decision to prioritise his private life but believes that his absence will be a big "blow" for India. "Virat Kohli is one of the greatest batters ever to play the game and any series and any side will miss someone of the stature of Kohli. The game needs to look after the likes of Kohli as well. He has been playing international cricket for more than 15 years now and if he needs a break to be away with family just some time away from the game we wish Virat Kohli all the best. It means we don't have the mouthwatering possibility of an Anderson-Kohli contest that we have seen over the years so be it," Hussain told Sky Sports.
- 15:48 (IST)India Squad Announcement LIVE: Mohammed Siraj Set To ReturnWhile there's continuous suspense on Virat Kohli's return, it has been reported that Mohammed Siraj will be making a comeback to the team ahead of the third Test. Even Jasprit Bumrah is likely to continue leading the Indian pace attack in Rajkot.
- 13:53 (IST)India Squad Announcement LIVE: Ishan Kishan Not In ContentionIndia's wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan isn't nursing any injury but still remains far from being considered for selection. Ishan has reportedly been training at the Reliance Stadium alongside Haridk and Krunal Pandya. Earlier, India head coach Rahul Dravid had asked him to resume playing cricket of some sort in order to be available for selection. But, the player hasn't yet made himself available for Ranji Trophy.
- 11:11 (IST)India Squad Announcement LIVE: Decision On Taking Rest In Bumrah's HandsThe BCCI selection committee has reportedly left the decision of taking rest in Jasprit Bumrah's hands. The pacer was central to India's success in the second Test but could decide to give one or two matches a miss.
- 10:49 (IST)India Squad Announcement LIVE: Jadeja, Rahul Likely To ReturnWhile Virat Kohli looks likely to miss at least two more of the remaining three matches against England, the likes of KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja are reportedly nearing return. Jadeja's progress has been quite impressive and the all-rounder could be in contention for the third Test in his hometown, Rajkot.