Today Indian selectors met in Mumbai to pick the Test squad for the upcoming five-match Test series against England which starts on November 9 in Rajkot. The squad has been picked for first two tests Only. Veteran Indian opener Gautam Gambhir has retained his spot in the Test squad as KL Rahul is still injured. The selection of Hardik Pandya as a replacement for the injured Rohit Sharma has come as a surprise. Bhuvneshwar Kumar is available for selection but selectors want to assess his match fitness first.
The MSK Prasad-led selection committee has included Karnataka opener Karun Nair and Haryana off-spinner Jayant Yadav in the 15-man squad. Shikhar Dhawan has lost his place in the team because of his poor run of form while seasoned pacer Ishant Sharma is back in the team. Gautam Gambhir’s hundred in his last Ranji game has also helped him retain his place in the squad. MSK Prasad said, “If there have been 10 regular openers we would still have considered Gambhir”. Hardik Pandya is the new face in the Test squad who made his ODI debut for India in the recently concluded New Zealand series.
The spin department remains the same and will be once again be led by R Ashwin and Jadeja. Leggie Amit Mishra and Jayant Yadav are also picked as additional spinners. Ishant Sharma’s return will be a major boost in pace department with Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav already on song. Here’s the team
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#TeamIndia squad for first two Tests against England. @Paytm Test Cricket #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/9VZX6ETmHy
— BCCI (@BCCI) November 2, 2016
Here’s How Twitterati Reacted on Team India Test squad:
Thank you for your wishes and messages. Keep supporting Team India. Onwards and upwards! #INDvENG
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) November 2, 2016
To be part of the Indian 🇮🇳 Test squad is a dream come true for me. pic.twitter.com/OZUFAHo97p
— hardik pandya (@hardikpandya7) November 2, 2016
#INDvENG MSK Prasad: Even if there were regular openers, we would have still preferred @GautamGambhir. We think 10 times before selecting
— TOI Sports News (@TOISportsNews) November 2, 2016
They are sitting to pick the team for the test. The players have made it easy. The tea and biscuits should take longer.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) November 2, 2016
Hardhik Pandya might be not a good pick in test team but definitely better than Stuart Binny.#INDvENG
— Parvez Shaikh (@parvezkshaikh) November 2, 2016
https://twitter.com/sagarcasm/status/793731241128243200
#INDvENG is officially going to be a match between @virendersehwag and @piersmorgan
😂— Ye Koi ***** Hai Kya? (@intolerant_monk) November 2, 2016
Wish @ImRo45 a speedy recovery. Just when he was estb himself as a key test player this injury happens. Unfortunate. #INDvENG #grudgeseries
— Boria Majumdar (@BoriaMajumdar) November 2, 2016
India's Test squad: Five batsmen, three fast bowlers, four spinning allronders, one seam-bowling allrounder, one wicketkeeper. #INDvENG
— Jamie Alter (@alter_jamie) November 2, 2016
Rohit injured, could be out for 6-8 weeks. Gambhir in. No place for injured Shikhar and Rahul #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/IzPgJjlb3z
— Vikrant Gupta (@vikrantgupta73) November 2, 2016
Pandya's inclusion overshadows Jayant Yadav's first full inclusion in a Test squad and the fact that India have picked 4 spinners. #IndvEng
— Chetan Narula (@chetannarula) November 2, 2016
Pandya gets selected for #IndvEng Test. I want our selectors to go through a Dope Test.
— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) November 2, 2016
Yesterday my friend told me that Hardik Pandya will make it to the Test squad and I laughed him off saying u better don't speak! #WTF
— Sameer Allana (@HitmanCricket) November 2, 2016
Rohit Sharma is badly injured. Chance of surgical intervention. Ruled out of entire Test series: MSK Prasad, chief selector. #INDvENG
— J ❤ E ❤ R ❤ R ❤ Y (@jerryshetty) November 2, 2016
I feel bad for #KLRahul, he is missing out on one of the best seasons of his career because of injury. #INDvENG
— Arun Dev (@ArunDev1) November 2, 2016
Is @klrahul11 's injury so major ?? It's been a while now. And pandya selection is a surprise. @hardikpandya7 don't disappoint💪👍 #INDvENG
— Ashritha (@imashritha) November 2, 2016
https://twitter.com/eissa_vakil/status/793749064772902912
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If @hardikpandya7 can deserve opportunity in test then why not @YUVSTRONG12
a match winner player in all format. @BCCI @imVkohli#INDvENG— Avinashsinh Barad 🇮🇳🇮🇳 (@BaradAvinash) November 2, 2016
With England Cricket having the edge over the Indian Team in the previous 3 Test series,there's a #ScoreToSettle for VK's men!#INDvENG
— zoy_pal (@zoy_pal) November 2, 2016
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