Pant returns to India Test squad for Bangladesh series, Shami still sidelined

LONDON (Agencies): Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant returned to the Indian Test team for the first time in nearly two years after the country’s cricket board announced a 16-member squad for the first of two Tests against Bangladesh. Pant was involved in a near-fatal crash in December 2022 that required him to have multiple surgeries but after a long road to recovery, he returned to action and even made the squad for their victorious T20 World Cup campaign earlier this year. Pant, whose last test appearance was also against Bangladesh in December 2022, has been called up alongside wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel while uncapped left-arm seamer Yash Dayal has also been included. However, there was no place for fast bowler Mohammed Shami who is still recovering from a foot surgery. The 34-year-old has not played since the 2023 World Cup, but India’s pace attack will be led by Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. KL Rahul is also back in the squad after missing tests against England earlier this year, as is Sarfaraz Khan who will give the middle order a boost having notched three fifties against England in three matches. The two-Test series kicks off India’s home season for 2024-25, with the first Test from Sept. 19 in Chennai and the second from Sept. 27 in Kanpur. India are also set to play three T20 matches against Bangladesh.

INDIA SQUAD:

Rohit Sharma (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Dhruv Jurel (wicketkeeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah, Yash Dayal.