No Nitish, Harshit as injury-marred India name Test squad for Sri Lanka series
An injury-marred Indian team have named their Test squad for the 2-match Test series against Sri Lanka. India are without several of their regulars, while many in the existing squad await fitness clearance.
An injury-marred India have named their squad for the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka, with several regulars unavailable and the fitness of key players still under a cloud.
Shubman Gill will lead the side, with KL Rahul named his deputy, while the squad includes a mix of established names and players looking to make their mark in Test cricket.
India will, however, be without a couple of their recent regulars due to injuries. Nitish Reddy was not available for selection after being ruled out of the tour of the UK with a thigh injury, while Harshit Rana was ruled out just days after returning from a four-month injury layoff.
There is also uncertainty surrounding the availability of Sai Sudharsan and Jasprit Bumrah. Both players have been picked in the squad, but their participation will be subject to fitness clearance from the BCCI Centre of Excellence (COE).
Washington Sundar, meanwhile, was not available for selection for the first Test.
WHAT HAPPENED TO JASPRIT BUMRAH?
Jasprit Bumrah recently returned to action in the ODI series against England. The fast bowler was given an extended rest after the Indian Premier League and did not feature in the home series against Afghanistan or, for that matter, T20Is against Ireland and England.
Sources told India Today that Bumrah is on rest till July 30, and will report to the BCCI's Centre of Excellence after that. His date of his return will be assessed after fresh medical evaluations.
GURNOOR BRAR NAMED IN TEST SQUAD
The squad sees Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel maintain their spots as the preferred choice for wicketkeepers.
The pace attack, which is India's main concern for the series, includes regulars Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna. Gurnoor Brar, who has done well since his debut for India, has once again been named in the Test squad.
WHO IS SARANSH JAIN?
There was one name in India's Test squad against Sri Lanka that surprised fans the most. Amid the usual stars was 33-year-old Saransh Jain, the Madhya Pradesh all-rounder who has finally earned his maiden India call-up after spending over a decade proving himself on the domestic circuit. It may have come later than expected, but few can argue he hasn't earned it.
Jain's inclusion also offers India an important safety net. While Washington Sundar has been named in the squad, his availability remains subject to fitness clearance as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury. Rather than take any chances ahead of a tour where spin is expected to play a major role, the selectors turned to a proven domestic performer who can contribute with both bat and ball.
Born in Indore, Jain has quietly built one of the strongest first-class records among India's all-rounders since making his debut for Madhya Pradesh in the 2014-15 season. The right-arm off-spinner has amassed more than 2,000 runs at an average of 31.75 and claimed 188 wickets at 27.30 in 54 first-class matches, making him the kind of cricketer every domestic side values but who often flies under the radar.
Behind those numbers lies a journey defined by patience and resilience. Jain's father, Subodh Jain, also played Ranji Trophy cricket for Madhya Pradesh and has been the biggest influence on his career. During Saransh's early playing days, his father underwent cancer surgery while he was away on a cricket tour in Australia. Unable to speak after the operation, Subodh wrote his son a handwritten note asking him to stay focused on cricket. Years later, that message has come full circle, with the 33-year-old now on the verge of living every domestic cricketer's dream—wearing the India whites.
INDIA'S TEST SQUAD vs SRI LANKA
Shubman Gill (c), KL Rahul (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sai Sudharsan*, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Jasprit Bumrah*, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Devdutt Padikkal, Saransh Jain.
*Subject to fitness clearance from the BCCI Centre of Excellence.
With injuries already ruling out Reddy and Rana and fitness concerns surrounding Sudharsan and Bumrah, India head into the Sri Lanka series with several questions still to be answered before the first Test.
INDIA vs SRI LANKA: MATCH DATES
The Test series between India and Sri Lanka starts on August 15 and will conclude on August 27. The first match will be played in Galle, while the second Test is scheduled to be played in Colombo. Ahead of the series, India will also play a 4-day practice match in Colombo, starting August 7.
An injury-marred India have named their squad for the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka, with several regulars unavailable and the fitness of key players still under a cloud.
Shubman Gill will lead the side, with KL Rahul named his deputy, while the squad includes a mix of established names and players looking to make their mark in Test cricket.
India will, however, be without a couple of their recent regulars due to injuries. Nitish Reddy was not available for selection after being ruled out of the tour of the UK with a thigh injury, while Harshit Rana was ruled out just days after returning from a four-month injury layoff.
There is also uncertainty surrounding the availability of Sai Sudharsan and Jasprit Bumrah. Both players have been picked in the squad, but their participation will be subject to fitness clearance from the BCCI Centre of Excellence (COE).
Washington Sundar, meanwhile, was not available for selection for the first Test.
WHAT HAPPENED TO JASPRIT BUMRAH?
Jasprit Bumrah recently returned to action in the ODI series against England. The fast bowler was given an extended rest after the Indian Premier League and did not feature in the home series against Afghanistan or, for that matter, T20Is against Ireland and England.
Sources told India Today that Bumrah is on rest till July 30, and will report to the BCCI's Centre of Excellence after that. His date of his return will be assessed after fresh medical evaluations.
GURNOOR BRAR NAMED IN TEST SQUAD
The squad sees Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel maintain their spots as the preferred choice for wicketkeepers.
The pace attack, which is India's main concern for the series, includes regulars Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna. Gurnoor Brar, who has done well since his debut for India, has once again been named in the Test squad.
WHO IS SARANSH JAIN?
There was one name in India's Test squad against Sri Lanka that surprised fans the most. Amid the usual stars was 33-year-old Saransh Jain, the Madhya Pradesh all-rounder who has finally earned his maiden India call-up after spending over a decade proving himself on the domestic circuit. It may have come later than expected, but few can argue he hasn't earned it.
Jain's inclusion also offers India an important safety net. While Washington Sundar has been named in the squad, his availability remains subject to fitness clearance as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury. Rather than take any chances ahead of a tour where spin is expected to play a major role, the selectors turned to a proven domestic performer who can contribute with both bat and ball.
Born in Indore, Jain has quietly built one of the strongest first-class records among India's all-rounders since making his debut for Madhya Pradesh in the 2014-15 season. The right-arm off-spinner has amassed more than 2,000 runs at an average of 31.75 and claimed 188 wickets at 27.30 in 54 first-class matches, making him the kind of cricketer every domestic side values but who often flies under the radar.
Behind those numbers lies a journey defined by patience and resilience. Jain's father, Subodh Jain, also played Ranji Trophy cricket for Madhya Pradesh and has been the biggest influence on his career. During Saransh's early playing days, his father underwent cancer surgery while he was away on a cricket tour in Australia. Unable to speak after the operation, Subodh wrote his son a handwritten note asking him to stay focused on cricket. Years later, that message has come full circle, with the 33-year-old now on the verge of living every domestic cricketer's dream—wearing the India whites.
INDIA'S TEST SQUAD vs SRI LANKA
Shubman Gill (c), KL Rahul (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sai Sudharsan*, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Jasprit Bumrah*, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Devdutt Padikkal, Saransh Jain.
*Subject to fitness clearance from the BCCI Centre of Excellence.
With injuries already ruling out Reddy and Rana and fitness concerns surrounding Sudharsan and Bumrah, India head into the Sri Lanka series with several questions still to be answered before the first Test.
INDIA vs SRI LANKA: MATCH DATES
The Test series between India and Sri Lanka starts on August 15 and will conclude on August 27. The first match will be played in Galle, while the second Test is scheduled to be played in Colombo. Ahead of the series, India will also play a 4-day practice match in Colombo, starting August 7.
An injury-marred India have named their squad for the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka, with several regulars unavailable and the fitness of key players still under a cloud.
Shubman Gill will lead the side, with KL Rahul named his deputy, while the squad includes a mix of established names and players looking to make their mark in Test cricket.
India will, however, be without a couple of their recent regulars due to injuries. Nitish Reddy was not available for selection after being ruled out of the tour of the UK with a thigh injury, while Harshit Rana was ruled out just days after returning from a four-month injury layoff.
There is also uncertainty surrounding the availability of Sai Sudharsan and Jasprit Bumrah. Both players have been picked in the squad, but their participation will be subject to fitness clearance from the BCCI Centre of Excellence (COE).
Washington Sundar, meanwhile, was not available for selection for the first Test.
WHAT HAPPENED TO JASPRIT BUMRAH?
Jasprit Bumrah recently returned to action in the ODI series against England. The fast bowler was given an extended rest after the Indian Premier League and did not feature in the home series against Afghanistan or, for that matter, T20Is against Ireland and England.
Sources told India Today that Bumrah is on rest till July 30, and will report to the BCCI's Centre of Excellence after that. His date of his return will be assessed after fresh medical evaluations.
GURNOOR BRAR NAMED IN TEST SQUAD
The squad sees Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel maintain their spots as the preferred choice for wicketkeepers.
The pace attack, which is India's main concern for the series, includes regulars Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna. Gurnoor Brar, who has done well since his debut for India, has once again been named in the Test squad.
WHO IS SARANSH JAIN?
There was one name in India's Test squad against Sri Lanka that surprised fans the most. Amid the usual stars was 33-year-old Saransh Jain, the Madhya Pradesh all-rounder who has finally earned his maiden India call-up after spending over a decade proving himself on the domestic circuit. It may have come later than expected, but few can argue he hasn't earned it.
Jain's inclusion also offers India an important safety net. While Washington Sundar has been named in the squad, his availability remains subject to fitness clearance as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury. Rather than take any chances ahead of a tour where spin is expected to play a major role, the selectors turned to a proven domestic performer who can contribute with both bat and ball.
Born in Indore, Jain has quietly built one of the strongest first-class records among India's all-rounders since making his debut for Madhya Pradesh in the 2014-15 season. The right-arm off-spinner has amassed more than 2,000 runs at an average of 31.75 and claimed 188 wickets at 27.30 in 54 first-class matches, making him the kind of cricketer every domestic side values but who often flies under the radar.
Behind those numbers lies a journey defined by patience and resilience. Jain's father, Subodh Jain, also played Ranji Trophy cricket for Madhya Pradesh and has been the biggest influence on his career. During Saransh's early playing days, his father underwent cancer surgery while he was away on a cricket tour in Australia. Unable to speak after the operation, Subodh wrote his son a handwritten note asking him to stay focused on cricket. Years later, that message has come full circle, with the 33-year-old now on the verge of living every domestic cricketer's dream—wearing the India whites.
INDIA'S TEST SQUAD vs SRI LANKA
Shubman Gill (c), KL Rahul (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sai Sudharsan*, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Jasprit Bumrah*, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Devdutt Padikkal, Saransh Jain.
*Subject to fitness clearance from the BCCI Centre of Excellence.
With injuries already ruling out Reddy and Rana and fitness concerns surrounding Sudharsan and Bumrah, India head into the Sri Lanka series with several questions still to be answered before the first Test.
INDIA vs SRI LANKA: MATCH DATES
The Test series between India and Sri Lanka starts on August 15 and will conclude on August 27. The first match will be played in Galle, while the second Test is scheduled to be played in Colombo. Ahead of the series, India will also play a 4-day practice match in Colombo, starting August 7.
