India Selects Uncapped Trio for Upcoming Tour of Australia
The series will continue with the third Test in Brisbane from December 14 to 18, followed by the traditional Boxing Day Test in Melbourne starting December 26, and concluding with the New Year’s Test in Sydney from January 3.
India has announced its squad of 18 for the five-Test tour of Australia, which begins on November 22. Among the notable inclusions are three uncapped players: opener Abhimanyu Easwaran, fast bowler Harshit Rana, and allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddy.
Key Exclusions Due to Injuries
Fast bowler Mohammed Shami has been left out as he has yet to fully recover from ankle surgery earlier this year. Wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav is also unavailable due to a chronic left groin injury, as confirmed in a statement from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The squad will include Mukesh Kumar, Navdeep Saini, and Khaleel Ahmed as traveling reserves.
Leadership and Debut Anticipation
Rohit Sharma will lead the team, with Jasprit Bumrah serving as vice-captain. However, due to personal commitments, Rohit is expected to miss one of the first two Tests, which increases the likelihood of Easwaran making his Test debut during the series. The 29-year-old opener has previously been part of India's Test squad in Bangladesh in 2022 and has showcased remarkable form this domestic season. He has recorded two centuries in the Duleep Trophy, another in the Irani Trophy, and recently scored a century for Bengal in the ongoing Ranji Trophy season.
Spin Allrounders and Reddy’s Role
The squad includes three spin allrounders: R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Washington Sundar, who is making a return to Test cricket after a hiatus of over three years. Nitish Kumar Reddy, aged 21, is the sole seam-bowling allrounder in the squad. He is already in Australia as part of the India A team, which will play two four-day matches in Mackay and Melbourne, providing him with additional preparation time.
Bowling Line-Up and Squad Dynamics
Alongside Jasprit Bumrah, the fast bowling lineup includes Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, and Harshit Rana. Prasidh, who has played two Tests, is returning to action after recovering from a serious back injury. Rana, who has participated in just nine first-class matches, took two four-wicket hauls for India D during the Duleep Trophy and boasts an impressive first-class bowling average of 24.75.
Notably, India’s squad lacks a left-arm quick, as Khaleel is listed in the reserves, and Yash Dayal is not included.
Tour Schedule
India will kick off the tour with a warm-up match against India A in Perth from November 15 to 17. The first Test against Australia is scheduled to take place at the Perth Stadium from November 22 to 26. Following that, the team will move to Canberra for a tour match against the Prime Minister's XI on November 30 and December 1, before heading to Adelaide for a day-night Test from December 6 to 10.
Previous Success in Australia
India currently holds the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, having triumphed in their last two tours of Australia, winning by a 2-1 margin in both 2018-19 and 2020-21.
India Squad for Australia Tour
- Captain: Rohit Sharma
- Vice-Captain: Jasprit Bumrah
- Players: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (wk), R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar
- Reserves: Mukesh Kumar, Navdeep Saini, Khaleel Ahmed
