Dhruv Jurel earns maiden call-up as India name 16-man squad for first two Tests against England; no Shami, Ishan

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the selection of a 16-man squad for the first two Tests against England in their upcoming series. This news comes amidst the omission of veteran fast bowler Mohammed Shami due to his ongoing recovery from an ankle injury sustained during the 2023 ODI World Cup. Additionally, wicketkeeper Ishan will not be part of the squad for the Test series.

The fast-bowling line-up will also miss Prasidh Krishna, who recently suffered a quadriceps injury during Karnataka’s Ranji Trophy clash against Gujarat. However, Avesh Khan has retained his place in the squad after his impressive performance for India A during their tour of South Africa. Khan joins the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Mukesh Kumar, forming a formidable pace attack for India. The spin combination consists of Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav.

An interesting inclusion in the squad is 22-year-old cricketer Dhruv Jurel, who earns his maiden call-up as a back-up wicketkeeper option. Jurel impressed during the India A matches against South Africa, and his recent domestic performances have also been noteworthy. KL Rahul and KS Bharat will also be part of the squad, providing alternatives for the wicketkeeping role.

This Test series against England will be India’s third assignment in the ongoing World Test Championship cycle and their first at home. Previously, India won a two-match series against West Indies and drew a two-match series against South Africa.

The 16-man squad for the first two Tests against England includes Rohit Sharma as the captain, along with Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, KS Bharat, Dhruv Jurel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah as vice-captain, and Avesh Khan.