Post by : Shakul

The Board of Control for Cricket in India has officially announced the Indian squads for the upcoming one-off Test match and three-match ODI series against Afghanistan, starting from June 6. The announcement brought several major talking points, including the return of senior stars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for the ODI format and the resting of pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah.

Young batter Shubman Gill has been appointed captain for both the one-off Test and the ODI series, continuing the team management’s long-term leadership plans. KL Rahul has been named vice-captain for the Test match, while Shreyas Iyer returns to the ODI side and will serve as Gill’s deputy in the limited-overs series.

The selectors confirmed that Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya have been included in the ODI squad, although their participation will depend on fitness clearance and BCCI protocols. The decision indicates that the management wants experienced players available ahead of a packed international calendar later this year.

One of the biggest decisions was the resting of Jasprit Bumrah from both assignments as part of workload management. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar stated that Bumrah is being preserved for the important England tour later this summer and is currently focusing on maintaining his fitness and bowling workload.

Several young players received maiden India call-ups following their impressive domestic and IPL performances. Harsh Dubey, Gurnoor Brar, and Manav Suthar have been selected for the Test squad, while Prince Yadav earned his first ODI selection. The selectors also rested Ravindra Jadeja for the Test match to provide opportunities to younger all-rounders.

The ODI squad features a strong batting lineup including Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, and Nitish Reddy, while the bowling attack will be led by Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, and emerging talents. In the Test squad, players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Sai Sudharsan, and Mohammed Siraj are expected to play key roles.

India will begin the Afghanistan assignment with the one-off Test in Mullanpur on June 6, followed by ODI matches in Dharamsala, Lucknow, and Chennai. Cricket fans are particularly excited to see the return of experienced stars alongside the emergence of several new faces in the national setup.

#India News #Sports News #Cricket News #Afghanistan