Rishabh Pant makes a return to the Indian test team after almost 20 months as the Board of Control for Cricket in India announced a 16-member squad for the two-Test series against Bangladesh on Sunday.
According to a press release by the BCCI, Rohit Sharma continues to remain as captain while prolific batter Virat Kohli makes a comeback to the squad after missing the five-match Test series against England earlier this year. India beat the visitors 4-1 back in February and March.
After his accident in December 2022, the Bangladesh series marks Pant’s full return to the Indian senior team. The wicketkeeper made his return to competitive cricket in the 2024 Indian Premier League season for Delhi Capitals and made his international return in the 2024 ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup which India won in June this year.
Pant also turned out for India B in the recently concluded Duleep Trophy opener.
Fast bowler Akash Deep, who made his debut during the England series, retains his spot and will be part of the pace set-up alongside Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. Deep picked up 3/38 in his only Test so far against England in Ranchi and recently shone for India A with nine wickets to his name in the Duleep Trophy.
KL Rahul also makes a comeback to the squad to boost the middle order alongside Sarfaraz Khan, whose outing during the England series has helped him keep his place in the India squad. Uncapped pacer Yash Dayal has also been called up to the 16-member squad, possibly as a back-up with the likes of Dhruv Jurel retaining his spot from the England series as well.
The spin quartet remain the same from the England series with Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav featuring in the squad.
The series begins on September 19 with the first Test in Chennai followed by the second Test in Kanpur.
Afterwards, the two teams will play a three-match T20I series between October 6-12.
India squad for Bangladesh tests
Rohit Sharma (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah, Yash Dayal.
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