On Saturday, the BCCI confirmed what had been in the pipelines for the weeks leading up to the Test series in England that starts in June — that India are staring at a significant transition period with the retirements of Ashwin Ravichandran, Rohit Sharma and, most significantly, Virat Kohli in the last half year. With three stalwarts moving on from red-ball cricket, the squad was bound to have a fresh look. When Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee read out the final list, it was an 18-member touring party, out of which only 8 players have prior experience of playing in a Test match in England, always seen as a challenging venue for India over the years.
Here’s a quick look:
12 Tests, 642 runs, 27 wkts
– Most experienced in the squad, having played in three Tours from 2014 to 2021-’22 as well as WTC Final in 2023
– Generally preferred as the solitary spin-bowling allrounder but his batting experience will be key to this squad
9 matches, 37 wkts, 26.27 avg
– Player of the series with 23 wkts in the 2021-’22 series, led India for the first time in the Covid-postponed final match
– Famously smashed Stuart Broad around in Birmingham in what became the most expensive over in Tests (35 runs)
9 Tests, 614 runs, 34.11 avg
– A disappointing series in 2018 finished with a fighting 149 in a losing cause
– Made a strong mark as opener along with in 2021, winning player of the match at Lord’s for his 129
9 Tests, 556 runs, 32.70 avg
– Made his debut in England in 2018, and scored a 114 at The Oval in his first series
– In the Covid-postponed final Test in 2022, smashed a 111-ball 146 in a losing cause
6 Tests, 23 wkts, 34.00 avg
– Registered an 8-wicket match haul in the famous 2021 Lord’s win, picking up 4 in each innings
– Had a 4-wicket haul in the first innings of the WTC Final against Australia
Shardul Thakur
4 matches, 173 runs, 10 wkts
– Scored crucial fifties in both innings at The Oval win in Sep 2021, and picked up Joe Root’s wicket with a peach too
– Played a battling knock in the WTC final against Australia, scoring 51
1 match, 0 wkts
– Infamously, got picked for a gloomy Lord’s Test in 2018 in what was his only match in England
– In a rain-hit match, India’s selection gamble backfired as Kuldeep bowled just 9 overs
3 matches, 88 runs, 14.66 avg
– In three Tests in England, has played three different teams (NZ 2021, ENG 2022, AUS 2023), two of those being WTC Finals
– Has a high score of 28 in his three matches, so a stern Test awaits the new captain
