Left-arm spinner Manav Suthar, left-arm spin bowling all-rounder Harsh Dubey, and lanky pacer Gurnoor Brar have received their first call-ups to India’s squad for the one-off Test against Afghanistan in New Chandigarh from June 6-10. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar and BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia unveiled the 15-member squad, with Shubman Gill leading as captain and KL Rahul taking over as vice-captain. Brar, Suthar, and Dubey, who have excelled in domestic cricket, have been consistent performers for India ‘A’.
Apart from Gill, Rahul, and Pant, the batting lineup comprises Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, and Dhruv Jurel. With Ravindra Jadeja rested, Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar will manage the spin bowling duties. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar mentioned in a virtual press conference that Jadeja’s rest is to provide opportunities to other players for this Test match.
The inclusion of Suthar and Dubey in the squad highlights the selectors’ focus on strengthening India’s spin bowling options in Test cricket. In the pace department, Mohammed Siraj will spearhead the attack in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, supported by Prasidh Krishna and Brar. Nitish Kumar Reddy retains his place in the squad as an all-rounder.
The upcoming Test against Afghanistan marks India’s return to the format after their last Test series, which ended in a defeat to South Africa at home. Although this match is not part of the World Test Championship cycle, it holds significance for India’s red-ball commitments, with tours of Sri Lanka and New Zealand on the horizon.
India and Afghanistan have only faced each other once in Test cricket, with India emerging victorious by an innings and 262 runs in their previous encounter at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru in 2018.
