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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the Test squad for the upcoming tour of Australia, which will feature a challenging series against the hosts. The squad is set to compete in a five-match Test series starting from November 22.
Rohit Sharma will lead the team, with star pacer Jasprit Bumrah serving as his deputy.
Key absentees in the Indian Test squad
Notably, Kuldeep Yadav who are part of the current Test squad facing New Zealand, have not been included in the touring party. Kuldeep is undergoing rehabilitation for a chronic left groin issue, while Axar’s absence raises questions about India’s spin strategy in Australian conditions.
However, the BCCI has named three reserve players: Mukesh Kumar, Navdeep Saini, and Khaleel Ahmed, to provide additional depth to the 18-member squad as the Australia tour includes five Tests and two warm-up matches.
Fresh faces in the team
The selection committee has included several new talents, such as fast bowler Prasidh Krishna, who made his Test debut during the Boxing Day Test against South Africa last year. Additionally, top-order batter Abhimanyu Easwaran, pacer Harshit Rana, and all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy have also added to the 18-member Test squad.
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India’s Test squad for the 2024-25 Australia tour:
Rohit Sharma (c), Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar
Travelling reserves: Mukesh Kumar, Navdeep Saini, Khaleel Ahmed
Schedule for Australia vs India Test series 2024/25:
- First Test: November 22-26, Perth Stadium, Perth
- Second Test: December 6-10, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (Day/Night)
- Third Test: December 14-18, The Gabba, Brisbane
- Fourth Test: December 26-30, MCG, Melbourne
- Fifth Test: January 3-7, SCG, Sydney
