India are stepping into a brand-new chapter in Test cricket and the man tasked with shaping that future, Ajit Agarkar, didn’t hold back during Saturday’s press conference. As he addressed the media following the announcement of India’s squad for the five-Test tour of England, the chairman of selectors delivered a series of straight-talking soundbites that offered insight into the team’s transition, selections, and omissions. One of the major talking points was Jasprit Bumrah’s workload. While the spearhead will lead the pace attack in England, Agarkar admitted the management isn’t looking to overuse him. With a packed schedule and the World Test Championship cycle just beginning, careful handling of Bumrah who has had an injury-troubled past will be crucial. Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh and Shardul Thakur form the rest of the seam attack. The squad marks a stark new phase, especially after the Test retirements of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin. “It’s never easy to replace players like them,” said Agarkar. “These are stalwarts of our game. Virat reached out in early April and said he felt he’d given everything he had. You have to respect that — he’s played 123 Tests, scored 30 centuries. Same with Rohit and Ashwin. We will miss them.”
With Rohit’s retirement creating a leadership vacuum, Shubman Gill has been appointed as captain for the England series. Rishabh Pant, making a strong comeback, will be vice-captain. “It’s a big transition, but we are confident Gill is the guy to take us forward,” Agarkar said. “It’s a new WTC cycle. We need to move on while showing respect to those who’ve stepped away.” On the surprise recall of Karun Nair, who last played a Test in 2017 , over Sarfaraz Khan, Agarkar offered a measured explanation.Quiz: Who’s that IPL player? “Karun has scored heaps in domestic cricket, played county, and brings experience,” he said. “Sarfaraz got a hundred but didn’t get runs after that. Sometimes it’s just a decision the team management takes.” He added that with Kohli not in the line-up, the need for experience in the middle-order was a factor. With Mohammed Shami still recovering, Arshdeep Singh has received his maiden Test call-up, backed by red-ball form and a county stint. “He’s a quality bowler, has the height and swing, and plays domestic when he can,” Agarkar noted. “With Bumrah unlikely to play all five, we wanted variety.” There was no place for Shreyas Iyer, despite his strong domestic and ODI performances. “Right now, there’s just no room in the Test set-up for him,” Agarkar confirmed.
Rising left-hander Sai Sudharsan also got a Test nod and Agarkar clarified that the selection wasn’t just IPL-based. “We’ve been tracking him for a while. He has the temperament and the game for red-ball cricket.”India’s squad for the England Test series:Shubman Gill (Captain), Rishabh Pant (Vice-Captain & Wicketkeeper), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh.
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