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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially announced their men’s squad for the upcoming two-match Test series against Bangladesh, scheduled to begin from September 19th. The selection features several high-profile comebacks, including players like Virat Kohli, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant. Additionally, promising left-arm pacer Yash Dayal received his maiden call-up to the national team.
Key inclusions: Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant make Test comebacks
Kohli’s return to the Test squad has generated considerable excitement. The Indian cricket maestro, who missed the previous Test series against England, will make his highly anticipated return to the format. Kohli last played a Test match against South Africa in January 2024 and will be looking to reestablish his dominance in red-ball cricket.
Rahul also finds himself back in the squad after sustaining an injury in the England series earlier this year. His comeback will add depth to India’s top-order batting lineup, which struggled in patches during the England series.
Another significant inclusion of wicketkeeper-batter Pant, who will be making his return to Test cricket after an extended injury layoff. Pant last played a Test match against Bangladesh in December 2022 and missed the entire 2023 calendar year due to a severe injury. His explosive batting and wicketkeeping skills will be crucial for India as they prepare for the Bangladesh series.
Yash Dayal: The new face in the Indian squad
Making his debut for the Indian Test squad is 26-year-old fast bowler Yash. The left-arm seamer has garnered attention for his consistent performances with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 and his standout showing in domestic cricket. Notably, in the opening match of the Duleep Trophy 2024 between India A and India B, he claimed 4 wickets.
Dayal boasts an impressive record of 74 wickets in 24 First-Class matches, and the team management will be eager to see him replicate his domestic success on the international stage.
Also READ: Yash Dayal gets maiden call-up as BCCI announces India squad for first Test against Bangladesh
Shreyas Iyer and others failed to make a cut
While some players are making their comebacks, others have been left out of the squad after a disappointing England series earlier this year.
1. Rajat Patidar, who had been a part of the squad for the England series, failed to deliver consistent performances during the second, third, and fourth Tests. His poor form has resulted in him being dropped from the squad for the Bangladesh series.
2. Devdutt Padikkal, who made his Test debut in the fifth match against England and managed to score a half-century, has also been dropped. Despite his promising start, the selectors have opted for more experienced options, and Padikkal will have to wait for another opportunity to prove himself.
3. Srikar Bharat, another casualty of the squad reshuffle, finds himself excluded, largely due to the returns of senior wicketkeepers like Rahul and Pant. Bharat had his last Test appearance in January 2024 against England, but with more experienced options now available, he was unable to retain his place.
4. Mukesh Kumar, who last played in the Test series against England and failed to make a significant impact with his bowling, has also been excluded from the squad. The selectors have opted to revamp the bowling lineup, bringing in the promising Yash to inject fresh talent into the attack.
5. Shreyas Iyer, the middle-order batter, who underperformed in the first two matches against England, has not been named in the squad for the Bangladesh series. Iyer has struggled to regain form after a string of low scores in the Test format.
