The BCCI has revealed the Indian team squad for the remaining Tests in the ongoing 2024 series against England. The third Test match is set to commence on February 15 in Rajkot.
The buzz around the announcement of the Indian squad for the final three Tests against England was palpable as fans eagerly anticipated the lineup for the Rajkot, Ranchi, and Dharamsala Tests. The BCCI kept everyone on edge, postponing the unveiling of the lineup. The main focus was on the status of Virat Kohli, the star batter who had opted out of the initial two Tests in Hyderabad and Vizag due to personal circumstances demanding his entire attention.
Fans were particularly curious about the situations of star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul, who missed the Vizag Test owing to hamstring and quadricep strain ailments. Finally, on Saturday, the BCCI released the selected players for the remaining three Tests against England.
As predicted, Virat Kohli will continue to be away from future Tests owing to personal reasons, a decision supported by the BCCI appreciating the primacy of family responsibilities. While KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja have made it to the squad, their participation relies on gaining fitness clearance and proving they are match-ready. Additionally, there’s a fresh face in the squad with Royal Challengers Bangalore’s Akash Deep receiving his first India call-up, adding a youthful energy to the team.
Following a loss in the series opener in Hyderabad, Team India bounced back forcefully to record a victory in the second Test at Vishakhapatnam. Under the guidance of Rohit Sharma, the team successfully trounced the visitors by 106 runs, leveling the series. In the first innings, India amassed a daunting 396, courtesy of Yashasvi Jaiswal’s double century. In response, England was bowled out for 253, with Jasprit Bumrah taking an amazing 6 for 45.
During the second innings, India managed to score 255 runs, with Shubman Gill scoring a century. Chasing a target of 399 runs, the Ben Stokes-led team was bowled for 292. Bumrah and spin ace Ravichandran Ashwin each got three wickets for India.
What added to the significance of the triumph in the second Test was India attaining success despite missing important players. The team had to make two changes to the playing eleven after Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul were out due to injuries acquired in the first Test.
The ongoing five-match Test series between India and England has hit an exciting point, with both teams leveled at 1-1. Team India is eager to clinch the upcoming match and widen their lead, while the visiting side is determined to bounce back after their recent loss and seek redemption in the thrilling third test.
India squad for the remaining 3-test matches vs England:
Rohit 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
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