Bangladesh is set to engage India in a two-match series that starts on September 19, 2023, in Chennai. This is the first instance Pant has been selected for the Test team since his severe accident in December 2022. Rishabh Pant’s comeback to the IPL was marked by some impressive performances where he was able to score 446 runs over 13 games before being selected for the victorious T20 World Cup.
After that, he played an ODI in Sri Lanka and recently participated in the Duleep Trophy opener. After last participating in a Test just before his accident, he now comes back at the beginning of the Indian home summer, with Dhruv Jurel serving as the other wicketkeeper in the squad.
However, Akash Deep a Bengal fast bowler has been selected as a third seam bowler in the team along with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. Akash made his Test debut against England this year in Ranchi; he was playing for India A during the Duleep Trophy match where he took 9 wickets including 5 in one innings.
Mukesh Kumar with 3 Test caps on his belt did not make it while Yash Dayal who is yet to feature at any International level for India is part of them (i.e., selected). Besides Mukesh, those players dropped after featuring during the England series are Devdutt Padikkal Rajat Patidar and KS Bharat.
The middle order has KL Rahul back along with Sarfaraz Khan who impressed on his debut series against England with three fifties from six innings. Rahul missed four out of five Tests that constituted India’s last red ball assignment earlier this year due to a quadriceps injury. As expected, India also have the spin quartet of R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav to choose from.
After starting off the series in Chennai at Sardar Patel Stadium both teams will proceed to Kanpur for their second match on September 27th. Then between October 6th and 12th, two teams would engage themselves in three T20Is matches.
India squad for the first Test
Rohit Sharma (c), Rishabh Pant (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Axar Patel, Sarfaraz Khan, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah, Yash Dayal.
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