IND vs ENG: Ajit Agarkar, the chairman of the senior selection committee, announced the India Test squad on Friday. Rohit Sharma was named team captain, and Jasprit Bhumrah was vice-captain.

Despite being called a wicketkeeper, Ishan Kishan was not included in the India squad for a wicketkeeper. Three wicketkeepers are on the Indian team for the first two tests: KL Rahul (left), KS Bharat (right), and Dhruv Jurel. The first Test will begin on January 25 and will be held at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.

Why was Ishan Kishan Not Selected For India’s Test squad in England in 2024?

Ishan Kishan was reported to have lost the confidence of the Indian team after he quit the squad in South Africa before the Test Series. Kishan was later said to be mentally exhausted.

Rahul Dravid, the head coach of India’s Test team against Afghanistan, has called the reports about disciplinary actions fake news. He also said that Ishan Kishan was yet to believe to be selected. Kishan was told to play Ranji cricket and score runs to be considered for the Indian national team.

Shami Still Needs To Be Ready

Mohammed Shami has not been named in the squad due to his ongoing recovery from injury during the ODI World Cup of 2023. Shami did not tour South Africa with the India team in December and January.

Dhruv Jurel Get First Chance in Indian Team

Dhruv Jurel, a player from Uttar Pradesh, was the selection star. The 22-year-old was part of the India A squad, which played two matches in December against their South African counterparts.

He scored 69 for UP in the second game at Benoni and 63 against Kerala in the first round of group games in the Ranji Trophy at Alappuzha. Jurel has made 790 runs in 15 matches, at 46 average, with 105 fifties on the domestic circuit. 

The other two Wicet-keepers: KS Bharat is the likely first choice for wicketkeeper-batsman wicketkeeper, but the selectors have also named KL Rahul. Rahul had successfully worn the big gloves in the two Tests against South Africa.

It is unlikely the Bengaluru man will continue to play the role of wicketkeeper against England, as India is sure to field three bowlers in Ravichandran Jadeja, Axar and Ravindra Jadeja. This move warrants the use of a specialist. The second match will take place in Visakhapatnam on February 2.

Test By Spinning

It was obvious that India would play on spin-friendly pitches, and if it needed to be confirmed, the presence of a powerful four-prone offence proved it. Kuldeep Yadav’s possible bench warming is a sign of things to come. He has been India’s leading wicket-taker in white-ball over the last 14 months.

The left-arm wrist-spinner, who had an impressive performance against Bangladesh in the late 2022 period, has not been in a test since. He also spent the Border-Gavaskar Trophy sitting on the bench.

It may happen again, as the break between is long enough. There is an eight-day break between the second Test in Vizag and the third in Rajkot. There is also an eight-day gap between Dharamsala’s third match and Ranchi’s fourth.

All Eyes on Gill

TrendsMyth has been informed that Shubman Gil is not yet confident in his Test place. Gill’s place in limited-overs cricket is secure, but there are questions about his Test form. Bowlers have exposed a few weak links.

He has only reached 30 once since scoring a hundred against Australia in Ahmedabad. If Gill’s poor performances continue, he could lose his spot for the three remaining Tests.

There are also concerns about Shreyas Easwaran, but his record against spinners is impressive, particularly in home conditions. India believes he can be their secret weapon in the middle order.

The selectors have kept faith in these youngsters despite this being a batting group in transition. The first two tests will show where are

India Squad for first Two Tests vs England

India Squad Against ENG: Rohit Sharma (C ), S Gill, Y Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, S Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), KS Bharat (wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Avesh Khan. 

England’s Tour of India, 2023-24 – Test series
Sr. No.	Date	Match	Venue
1	25th – 29th January	1st Test	Hyderabad
2	2nd – 6th February	2nd Test	Vizag
3	15th – 19th February	3rd Test	Rajkot
4	23rd – 27th February	4th Test	Ranchi
5	7th – 11th March	5th Test	Dharamsala

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