ENG v IND 2018: Indian selectors likely to name squad for first three Tests against England

The five-match Test series between India and England will commence on August 1 at Edgbaston.

Team India are currently the No.1 ranked Test side | Getty

Team India’s limited-overs series against England will culminate on Tuesday (July 17) with the third ODI at Leeds. Subsequently, Virat Kohli & company will feature in a five-match Test series against England from August 1 and surprisingly the squad for which hasn’t been announced yet.

As per the reports in CricketNext, the Indian selectors will name the squad only for the first three Tests when they meet in Leeds for the selection committee meeting. While India’s first-choice wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha is unlikely to recover from his thumb injury, it will be interesting to see if the selectors pick Jasprit Bumrah in the initial squad. Bumrah is currently recovering from the hand injury which he picked during the Ireland T20Is last month.

“See, this is not a three-game series. In such a case, you ideally pick the squad and then you proceed. But in a long five-match series, you don’t wish to pick the squad at one go. Some of the players who might be sore or have an injury and are progressing well will come into the picture as and when they are fit. Like Bumrah is certain to need time to be fit till the second Test,” a source close to the development told CricketNext.

The source also revealed that some of the young names will be discussed in the selection committee meeting.

“Some of the young names are surely to be discussed, but it is too early to say who will get the nod and who will not. But performances are bound to be taken into account when the wise men sit down,” he added.

Dinesh Karthik, who replaced Saha for the one-off Test against Afghanistan last month, is likely to continue in the role. On the other hand, speedster Mohammed Shami has passed the mandatory Yo-Yo fitness test last week and is waiting to board the flight to England once the Test team is announced.

India’s Test itinerary against England:

Aug 01 - Aug 05, 1st Test – Edgbaston, Birmingham

Aug 09 - Aug 13, 2nd Test – Lord's, London

Aug 18 - Aug 22, 3rd Test – Trent Bridge, Nottingham

Aug 30 - Sep 03, 4th Test – The Rose Bowl, Southampton

Sep 07 - Sep 11, 5th Test – Kennington Oval, London

 
 

By Salman Anjum - 17 Jul, 2018

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