BCCI Announces Squad For 1st Bangladesh Test

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the squad for the first Test of the upcoming two-match series against Bangladesh, set to begin on September 19 in Chennai, with the second Test taking place in Kanpur from September 27.

The selection has introduced some fresh faces, including Yash Dayal, who receives his maiden Test call-up, and Akash Deep, who returns after a notable performance in domestic cricket.

• Skipper Rohit Sharma will lead the team, with Virat Kohli adding star power as he continues his pursuit of major milestones, including reaching the 10,000 Test-run mark and adding to his 29 Test centuries.

• The young duo of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill are included, aiming to maintain their strong form after a successful series against England earlier this year.

• KL Rahul returns to the Test fold after recovering from injury, while Shreyas Iyer has not been included.

• Rishabh Pant makes his much-anticipated comeback after a long injury break following a road accident in 2022.

• Emerging talents Dhruv Jurel and Sarfaraz Khan, both impressive in the series against England, have been named in the squad.

• The spin department will be led by the experienced quartet of Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav, who offer both bowling and batting depth.

• In the pace attack, Jasprit Bumrah will spearhead the lineup alongside Mohammed Siraj, with newcomers Akash Deep and Yash Dayal providing additional options.

The series is part of a packed Test schedule for India, with a series against New Zealand next in line and the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia in November. India currently leads the ICC World Test Championship standings with a strong record of six wins, two losses, and a draw.

India Squad for the First Test Against Bangladesh:

• Rohit Sharma (C)
• Yashasvi Jaiswal
• Shubman Gill
• Virat Kohli
• KL Rahul
• Sarfaraz Khan
• Rishabh Pant (WK)
• Dhruv Jurel (WK)
• Ravichandran Ashwin
• Ravindra Jadeja
• Axar Patel
• Kuldeep Yadav
• Mohammed Siraj
• Akash Deep
• Jasprit Bumrah
• Yash Dayal

This series marks India's final home fixtures before their tours to Australia and their participation in the ICC World Test Championship.