Cricket News

Shreyas Iyer dropped as Indian Cricket Board declares India’s squad for remaining England Tests

The Indian squad for the final three Tests against England has been announced, with some notable inclusions and exclusions. The squad is on expected lines with the likes of KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja returning after having missed the second Test due to injuries. As it turns out, former-captain, Virat Kohli continues to be unavailable due to personal reasons.

In what is the biggest takeaway from the announcement, Shreyas Iyer has been dropped after a string of poor performances. Iyer’s shot selection and form have been in question of late and the axe has now fallen on the 29-year-old. Iyer’s omission has meant that Rajat Patidar, who made his Test debut in the previous Test in Vizag and Sarfaraz Khan, who is still uncapped, have both retained their placed in the team. Akash Deep, the 27-year old right-arm pacer from Bengal has been rewarded for his consistent performances at the domestic level with a maiden Test call-up.

Rahul and Jadeja’s participation dependent on clearance

It seems that the fitness of Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul remain a major concern as it has been mentioned that their selection in the playing 11 will be subject to their fitness clearance from the Indian Cricket Board’s medical team. Indian fans will hope that the two of them are able to take the field as Jadeja’s all-round brilliance is irreplaceable, while Rahul’s presence in the middle-order is crucial.

The stage is now set for a thrilling contest between the two heavyweights. While the first Test in Hyderabad saw England stun India, the hosts roared back with a dominant victory in Vizag, setting the score at a tantalizing 1-1. The action resumes in Rajkot on February 15th, followed by Ranchi on February 23rd and Dharamsala on March 7th. Both teams have played some exciting cricket, challenging each other and entertaining fans in the process. As such, the series is set up nicely and if the first two games were anything to go by, viewers are in for a gala time as the two teams look to end up on the right side of the result.