Suryakumar Yadav’s exploits in T20 cricket have propelled him into the squad for the first two Tests against Australia. The first Test begins on February 9.
The 17-member squad for the Nagpur and Delhi Test matches also includes Ishan Kishan since Rishabh Pant has been ruled out following a car accident. KS Bharat is the other wicketkeeper.
Jasprit Bumrah hasn’t found a berth as he recovers from a recurrence of the back injury. The Telegraph had reported that Bumrah was in doubt for the Test series.
Ravindra Jadeja though has been picked, subject to fitness.
The squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), R. Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Md Shami, Md Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Suryakumar Yadav.
Marnus chess-ready
Marnus Labuschagne can’t wait to engage in a “lovely game of chess” with Ravichandran Ashwin, who dismissed him twice in the 2020-21 series, during next month’s Test tour of India after making changes in his game to combat the ace spinner.
