India has announced its 18-man squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia, set to begin on November 22 at Perth’s Optus Stadium. Fast bowler Mohammed Shami and left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav are notable absentees from the lineup, with Shami still recovering from ankle surgery and Yadav sidelined by a chronic groin injury.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed the squad on Saturday, with Rohit Sharma as captain. However, Sharma will miss one of the first two Tests due to personal reasons, creating an opportunity for 29-year-old Abhimanyu Easwaran, who has impressed with four domestic centuries this season, to make his Test debut. Jasprit Bumrah will serve as vice-captain in the series.
The five-match series will take place at premier venues across Australia, including a day-night Test at Adelaide Oval and matches at the Gabba, the MCG, and the SCG.
Australia has yet to reveal its squad, though speculation is swirling around who will open alongside Usman Khawaja following David Warner’s retirement. Candidates for the role include Marcus Harris, Matthew Renshaw, Cameron Bancroft, Sam Konstas, and Henry Hunt, with Nathan McSweeney also in contention.
India’s squad features a mix of experienced players and new talent, with a balanced bowling lineup led by Bumrah and supported by spinners R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. Washington Sundar, Mohammed Siraj, and Prasidh Krishna add depth to India’s bowling options.
India’s Test Squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy:
Rohit Sharma (c), Jasprit Bumrah (vc), 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
This Border-Gavaskar Trophy series promises to deliver a blend of established stars and emerging talent, with India aiming to retain the trophy against a restructured Australian side.
