India squad for World Test Championship Final and Test series against England announced

On Friday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the India squad for the World Test Championship Final and the five-match Test series against England.

Hanuma Vihari, who missed the Test series against England with an injury, has made a comeback to the side. The selectors also named KL Rahul and Wriddhiman Saha in the squad but their inclusion is ‘subject to fitness clearance’.

KL Rahul was recently hospitalised after being diagnosed with acute appendicitis in mid-may of the IPL 2021, while Wriddhiman Saha tested positive for COVID-19 while he was in the Sunrisers Hyderabad’s bio-bubble.

The BCCI also named four standby players; Abhimanyu Easwaran, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan and Arzan Nagwaswalla, who will board the flight to England along with the team.

India’s squad: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (Captain), Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), R. Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav, KL Rahul (subject to fitness clearance) and Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper; subject to fitness clearance).

Standby players: Abhimanyu Easwaran, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan and Arzan Nagwaswalla.

The World Test Championship (WTC) final between India and New Zealand will be played at Southampton from 18 June, while India vs England Test series will begin in Nottingham from 4 August. 2nd Test will be played from 12–16 August at the Ladders, the third Test will be played at Leeds from 25–29 August, the fourth Test will be played at the Oval from 2–6 September and the final Test will be played at Manchester from 10–14 September.