October 26, 2024: India has announced a new-look squad for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) series against Australia, with notable inclusions and exclusions creating much buzz.
Right-arm seamer Mohammed Shami misses out due to an ankle injury sustained after the ODI World Cup 2023, keeping him off the field since last November.
Kuldeep Yadav is also unavailable as he addresses a chronic left groin issue at the BCCI Centre of Excellence.
In their places, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Harshit Rana join the Test lineup.
Easwaran’s consistent run, including four centuries and 632 runs in eight innings during domestic circuits, makes him a promising addition.
Nitish Reddy’s recent all-round performance in the T20I series against Bangladesh, highlighted by a fiery 74-run innings and two wickets, adds strength to the team.
While Harshit Rana is yet to debut at the international level, his selection signals India’s push to groom young talent.
Rohit Sharma will lead the team, with Jasprit Bumrah as his vice-captain, marking Bumrah’s return to a leadership role. The squad also includes experienced players like Virat Kohli, R Ashwin, and R Jadeja. The presence of two wicketkeepers, Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel, adds depth to the team’s middle order and flexibility behind the stumps.
The series begins with the first Test on November 22 in Perth, followed by a day-night Test at Adelaide Oval from December 6-10. The third Test will be hosted at The Gabba in Brisbane from December 14-18. The iconic Boxing Day Test at Melbourne Cricket Ground will take place from December 26-30, leading into the series finale at Sydney Cricket Ground from January 3-7.
India’s Squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy:
- Captain: Rohit Sharma
- Vice-Captain: Jasprit Bumrah
- Batsmen: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan
- Wicketkeepers: Rishabh Pant, Dhruv Jurel
- All-rounders: R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Washington Sundar
- Pacers: Mohd. Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana
- All-rounder: Nitish Kumar Reddy
