Fresh Faces, Big Dreams: India’s Test Future Gets Piyush Chawla’s Nod

June 8, 2025: Former India spinner Piyush Chawla has thrown his weight behind India’s new-look Test squad for the upcoming five-match series against England, starting June 20. With senior legends like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli having stepped away from the red-ball format, the squad is set to usher in a new era under the captaincy of Shubman Gill.

Speaking to the media at the engagement ceremony of Indian batter Rinku Singh and Samajwadi Party MP Priya Saroj, Chawla acknowledged the squad’s lack of international experience but remained optimistic.

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“They may not have played much international cricket, but they’ve played enough overall to know how to handle pressure situations,” Chawla said. “Things will get better.”

India’s squad for the England Tests includes a mix of youth and proven IPL performers:
Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, and Kuldeep Yadav.

Chawla, who recently retired from all forms of cricket, also extended warm wishes to Rinku and Priya on their engagement. “My best wishes to both of them,” he said.

Chawla leaves behind a notable career with 43 wickets in 35 international matches for India. His IPL legacy is even more impressive—192 wickets in 192 games with a tidy economy rate. He was a part of multiple IPL teams including KKR, CSK, MI, and PBKS.

Another former India player, Praveen Kumar, also attended the engagement ceremony and said, “The ceremony was beautiful. I wish them all the best for this new inning.”

Rinku Singh, who has emerged as a strong finisher for India in T20Is, is yet to break into the ODI side. In 33 T20Is, he has scored 546 runs at a blazing strike rate of 161.06, including three half-centuries. His domestic and IPL performances, especially for Kolkata Knight Riders, have made him one of the most promising batters in the shorter formats.