India has announced the squad on September 8, Sunday for the first Test against Bangladesh with Rishabh Pant making a return. Pant, who has been sidelined from Test cricket since December 2022, made a successful comeback to red-ball cricket in the recent Duleep Trophy. His inclusion in the squad marks a significant milestone following a serious car accident.
The wicketkeeper-batter, who last played a Test match against Bangladesh in Mirpur, will be joined by Dhruv Jurel, another impressive wicketkeeper who showcased his skills in the Duleep Trophy. KL Rahul, primarily known for his batting prowess, also makes a comeback to the team.
India’s squad for the 1st Test of the Bangladesh Test series: 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.
The Duleep Trophy 2024, which preceded the series between India and Bangladesh, was touted to be critical for selection in the Test team, and wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant left no stone unturned in making a mark in the first round. While Pant did have a quiet outing with the bat in the first innings against India A, the 26-year-old, representing India B, played a crucial role with a quickfire 61 off just 47 balls to help the side set a competitive 275-run target. With gloves, Pant was impeccable behind the stumps, showcasing his skills and reflexes to optimum effect; he took a series of impressive catches behind the stumps, and remained his chirpy self to put the batters on edge throughout the game.
With Pant, Dhruv Jurel, who made his Test debut earlier this year during the series against England, retained his place in the side. Jurel received his maiden call-up in the Test side following the inconsistent performances from senior wicketkeeper-batter, KS Bharat. The 23-year-old quickly grabbed the eye with important contributions in the middle-order, including a solid 90-run knock in his second Test in Ranchi.
? NEWS ?- Team India's squad for the 1st Test of the IDFC FIRST Bank Test series against Bangladesh announced.
— BCCI (@BCCI) September 8, 2024
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… pic.twitter.com/pQn7Ll7k3X
It is, however, likely that Pant will start the series as the first-choice wicketkeeper-batter. In addition to significant Test credentials, Pant has been an India regular in the white-ball formats and was part of India's last tour of Sri Lanka, too.
Despite scoring a brisk half-century for India D in the second innings of the Duleep Trophy match against India C, Shreyas Iyer’s performance wasn’t enough to secure a Test selection. The year 2024 has been a roller-coaster for Iyer; after sustaining an injury during India's Test series against England, he was dropped from the BCCI's central contracts due to his apparent unavailability for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy.
Iyer eventually returned to Mumbai and played a crucial role in leading the team to a title win. He also captained the Kolkata Knight Riders to a third IPL title, which was pivotal to his comeback to the Indian team in the white-ball series against Sri Lanka.
Also Read: Why Shreyas Iyer and Shami not selected for the Test series against Bangladesh?
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