India all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been re-called to the side for the first two Test matches against England at home. According to a report in ESPNCricinfo, the team management has picked Pandya purely as a batsman and he won’t bowl.
He had sustained a back injury earlier and hasn’t been bowling since then. Infact, he didn’t take the ball while playing for Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2020.
Apart from Pandya, captain Virat Kohli is also back in the side ayongwith Ishant Sharma. Kohli had returned to India for the birth of his first child while Ishant was ruled out of the Australian series due to injury.
There have been few changes in the squad. Axar Patel has been called to strengthened the spin bowling attack with R Ashwin, Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav. Opening batsman Prithvi Shaw who had a rough patch in Australia has been snubbed while fast bowler T. Natarajan hasn’t made a place for himself.
The fast bowling department comprises of Mohammed Siraj, Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and Shardul Thakur.
Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav had sustained injuries during the Australian tour and haven’t been picked for the England series.
India Test Squad: Virat Kohli (Captain), Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (Vice-captain), KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper), R Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Md. Siraj, Shardul Thakur
Standbyes: KS Bharat (wicketkeeper), Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shahbaz Nadeem, Rahul Chahar, Priyank Panchal
Net bowlers: Ankit Rajpoot, Avesh Khan, Sandeep Warrier, K Gowtham, Saurabh Kumar
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