Pacer Umesh Yadav named in India’s Test squad for the final two matches against England
Pacer Umesh Yadav has named in India’s Test squad for the final two-match of the series against England. The right-arm quick has fully recovered from calf injury after passing the fitness Test. With Umesh being declared fit and available for selection, Shardul Thakur has been dropped from the Test squad and released to play for his domestic team.
Last year, Umesh Yadav suffered from a calf injury during India’s Boxing Day Test against Australia at Melbourne Cricket Ground. With Umesh Yadav back in the mix, the bowling resources will certainly get a big boost ahead of the pink-ball Test at Ahmedabad. Besides Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah have played in the first two-matches of the Test series against England.
Wicket-keeper batsman Lokesh Rahul has also regained full fitness for the final two Test matches of the series against England. Shubnam Gill is expected to be fit for the Third Test after suffering a shoulder injury on the fourth day of the second Test played at Chennai.
For India, the home side will be looking to field their strongest playing XI for the second pink-ball Test in Ahmedabad, starting from 24th February. Avesh Khan, Krishnappa Gowtham, Sandeep Warrier and Ankit Rajpoot are four players named as net bowlers while Rahul Chahar and KS Bharat named as standby.
Shahbaz Nadeem, Shardul Thakur, Priyank Panchal and Abhimanyu Easwaran have been released to participate in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy. With series evenly poised at 1-1, a defeat for India in this pink-ball Test could diminish their chances of qualifying for the finals of ICC World Test Championship.
India’s Test Squad for final two matches: Virat Kohli (captain), Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, Lokesh Rahul, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper),Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Mayank Agarwal, Hardik Pandya, Shubman Gill, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar.
