Jadeja returns as India name squad for WTC final and England Tests

A 20-member India squad was named for the tour of England that includes the World Test Championship (WTC) final against New Zealand and five Test matches against England. There are four standby players besides the 20 players named in the main squad, taking the total number of the touring party to 24.

India play the WTC final against New Zealand in Southampton from June 18. That Test will be followed by five Tests against England in August-September. The first Test against England begins on Aug.4 and the final Test is scheduled to end on Sept.14.

The squad sees the return of all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja who missed the recent Tests in Australia and against England in India due to injury. Batsman KL Rahul and wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha have also been included, subject to fitness clearance. Pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah who missed the last Test against England in early March due to marriage has also returned.

Jadeja sustained a finger injury during the third Test against Australia in Sydney in January this year and was subsequently ruled out for both Test and limited-overs leg of the India-England series. He returned to action in the IPL 2021 for the Chennai Super Kings and by the time the tournament was suspended indefinitely, the all-rounder had scored 131 runs and taken six wickets from seven matches, including 3/13 against Virat Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Rahul had to undergo surgery after he pulled out of the Indian Premier League due to appendicitis while Saha is down with Covid-19.

Following their 3-1 win against England at home, India finished as the No. 1 side with 72.2 percentage points and booked their place in the WTC final.

“The All-India Senior Selection Committee has picked the Indian squad for the inaugural ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final and the five-match Test series against England,” the BCCI said in a statement.

“Team India’s first stop will be in Southampton where they play New Zealand to decide the first champion of the Test format.

Following their 3-1 win against England at home, India finished as the No. 1 side with 72.2 percentage points and booked their place in the final.”

Agencies

India’s squad: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (Captain), Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), R. Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohd. Shami, Md. Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav, KL Rahul (subject to fitness clearance), Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper; subject to fitness clearance).
Standby players: Abhimanyu Easwaran, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan, Arzan Nagwaswalla