Left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh earned his maiden Test call-up as the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) announced India’s 18-member squad for the upcoming tour of England on Saturday, May 24. India and England are set to lock horns in a five-match Test series beginning from June 20, which will mark the beginning of the World Test Championship (WTC) cycle 2025-27.
Arshdeep Singh has earned his maiden Test call-up for the tour while veteran speedster Mohammed Shami has been dropped. Shami hasn’t played Test cricket for 23 months, with his last appearance coming against Australia in the World Test Championship 2023. He made a comeback to international cricket earlier this year in January after a 14-month injury layoff.
India’s Test Squad Announcement For England Updates
However, Shami hasn’t been in the best form in the Indian Premier League 2025 (IPL 2025), having scalped just six wickets from nine innings. The speedster has looked completely out of rhythm in the T20 extravaganza, raising doubts about his readiness to play Test cricket. As a result, he has failed to find a place in the Test squad.
On the other hand, Arshdeep Singh has reaped the benefits of impressing with his ability to swing the new ball in the shorter formats, which makes him an ideal candidate for English conditions. The left-arm seamer has played 21 first-class matches and picked 66 wickets at an average of 30.37 with two five-wicket hauls to his name. In the ongoing Indian Premier League 2025 (IPL 2025), Arshdeep has scalped 16 wickets from 11 innings.
Karun Nair makes a comeback after 7 years
Arshdeep has experience of playing county cricket in England for Kent, which can come in handy in the upcoming series. Meanwhile, Karun Nair has also managed to earn his place back in the Indian Test team after seven years. Nair was in the form of his life as he enjoyed a prolific run in the domestic season.
He played a pivotal role in Vidarbha’s triumph in the Ranji Trophy 2024-25, being the fourth-highest run scorer of the season. He accumulated 863 runs from 16 innings at an average of 53.93, registering four hundreds and two fifties.
Abhimanyu Easwaran has also managed to keep his place in the team, following his prolific run in domestic cricket. India will be led by Shubman Gill on the tour, who’s been announced as the new Test captain of the side following the retirement of Rohit Sharma. Wicketkeeper batter Rishabh Pant has been appointed as his deputy.
India’s squad for England tour: Shubman Gill (Captain), Rishabh Pant (WK) (Vice-Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Kl Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwan, Karun Nair, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, DHUVV Jurel (WK), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.
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