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India vs England Test squad: Rishabh Pant earns Test call; Bhuvi, Bumrah under observation

Selectors hand Test call to young wicketkeeper batsman Rishabh Pant in the India squad for the first three Tests against England

Rishabh Pant has earned a place in Indias Test squad

Bengaluru, July 18: The Indian selectors, who met on Wednesday (July 18) at Leeds to pick the Test squad for the first three Tests against England, handed a Test call to young wicketkeeper batsman Rishabh Pant.

Apart from Pant, there are no fresh faces in the squad but the selectors drafted in pacer Mohammed Shami, who was dropped from the India squad for the one-off Test against Afghanistan, after he cleared the mandatory yo yo fitness test. Shami's career has gone off the boil since his wife Hasin Jahan levelled several allegations against him including domestic violence and adultery.

Shami, whose last competitive match was in April, may now feature in a warm-up game against Essex beginning on July 25. With M Vijay and Ajinkya Rahane currently part of India A's tour against England Lions, the visitors are likely to field a full-strength side for the Essex game.

Pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has aggrevated a lower back condition during the third against England that the hosts won by eight wickets to seal the three-match one-day series. His condition is being assessed by the BCCI medical team and a call on his inclusion in the Test squad will be made soon.

The right-arm pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who has been included in the squad, will be available for selection from the second Test onwards based on his fitness. Shardul Thakur, who has made his limited overs debut for India, too has been included in the squad as a possible cover for Bhuvneshwar and Bumrah.

As expected chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav found a place in the squad but leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal missed out.

Back to Rishabh Pant. The Delhi lad, who was in good form during the IPL 2018 for Delhi Daredevils, has been impressive during the India 'A's current tour of England and has already made three crucial fifties in the series. The selectors in consultation with India 'A' coach Rahul Dravid came to the conclusion that it was the right time to take Pant into the Test squad and give him an experience of Test cricket.

The selectors also picked the Board President XI that is scheduled to play a three-day warm-up game against South Africa 'A' in Belgaum, Karnataka, from July 30.

India's squad for first three Tests against England: Virat Kohli (Captain), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, M Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), Karun Nair, Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Ishant Sharma, Mohd. Shami, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur.

BP XI for warm-up fixture against South Africa 'A': shan Kishan (C & WK), RR Sanjay, AR Eshwaran, Dhruv Shorey, Anmolpreet Singh, Ricky Bhui, Jalaj Saxena, Siddhesh Lad, Mihir Hirwani, DA Jadeja, Avesh Khan, Shivam Mavi, Ishaan Porel, Atith Seth.

India's first three Tests against England

Ist Test: August 1-5: Edgbaston

2nd Test: August 9-13: Lord's

3rd Test: August 18-22: Trent Bridge

Story first published: Wednesday, July 18, 2018, 15:25 [IST]
Other articles published on Jul 18, 2018