BCCI announces India A squad for the England tour — which key spots are up for grabs in the senior team after the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli?
After they fail to qualify for the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 final, India aims for better performance in the fourth cycle. It starts with the five Tests in England, a place where the blue brigade has yet to win a red-ball series since 2007.
Before the start of the series, India A will feature in two first-class games against England A in Canterbury and Northampton. On May 16, the BCCI named Abhimanyu Easwaran as the leader of the 18-member squad, including Yashasvi Jaiswal, Karun Nair, and Shardul Thakur.
The wicket-keeper batter, Dhruv Jurel, will be Easwaran’s deputy. Meanwhile, Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan will join the side ahead of the second game due to the IPL 2025 playoffs.
India-A squad vs England A for two FC games
Abhimanyu Easwaran (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Karun Nair, Dhruv Jurel (vice-captain & wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shardul Thakur, Ishan Kishan (wk), Manav Suthar, Tanush Kotian, Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep, Harshit Rana, Anshul Kamboj, Khaleel Ahmed, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sarfaraz Khan, Tushar Deshpande and Harsh Dubey.
A few of these players can put their names forward for selection into the men’s Test side when the selectors meet a few weeks later.
Read More: Most likely replacements for Rohit Sharma & Virat Kohli in Tests
Abhimanyu Eawaran and Sai Sudharsan fight over the opening position
After the retirement of veteran Rohit Sharma, the two-time WTC runners-up will also have to find an opening batter. Yashasvi Jaiswal, who smashed 391 runs in the BGT 2024-25 at an average of 43.44, should retain his place. As his batting partner, Abhimanyu Easwaran is a little ahead of Sai Sudharsan.
The Bengal batter is vastly experienced and successful at the domestic level with over 100 first-class games. He has travelled across the world for the A-side and the national team in the past and could make his debut in the opening Headingley Test.
Sudharsan impressed the selectors with his debut first-class century for Tamil Nadu in 2022. The southpaw continues to develop as an opener in all formats of the game. Having represented Surrey in county cricket, he is familiar with England’s conditions. In 33 innings, he has accumulated 1397 runs at an average of 42.33 with four centuries.
If he doesn’t become Jaiswal’s partner, there is a chance for him to be the reserve opener for the long series.
Read More: Sai Sudharsan makes great case to be India’s all format pick
Tussle between Karun Nair and Dhruv Jurel for the number five spot
If the potential red-ball captain, Shubman Gill, bats at number three, followed by KL Rahul at four, the selectors will then have to find their number five. They may want to go with Dhruv Jurel in the position, who has already displayed his solid batting for the national side.
Because of his wicket-keeping skills, he will also be a fine replacement for Rishabh Pant, in case the latter gets injured. Karun Nair, whose last red-ball fixture came in 2017, was in excellent touch during the Ranji Trophy 2024-25. He finished the event as the fourth leading run-getter with 863 runs in 16 innings, shouldering four centuries and two fifties.
If Nair could continue the same performance against England A, then his return to the national side isn’t far away. Apart from these two, it’s hard to look beyond Sarfaraz Khan, who has also done a decent job in this position.
Shreyas Iyer’s absence is a bit surprising, but that perhaps is a suggestion of him not travelling to England for the Test series.
Read More: Shardul Thakur ticking all boxes for Test comeback
Nitish Reddy or Shardul Thakur- the pace bowling all-rounder conundrum
Nitish Reddy was the fourth-highest run-getter of the BGT 2024-25. He celebrated a memorable century during the Boxing Day Test at the MCG. Despite being picked as a bowler, he grabbed headlines with the bat but didn’t stand up as a bowler.
In England’s seaming conditions, he can get some purchase and will be an attractive option to bat in the lower order. The Andhra Pradesh-born could also be the side’s fifth bowling option.
However, Shardul Thakur’s strong finish to the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 has opened a new route for the selectors. In four Tests Thakur played in England, he smashed 173 runs at a strike rate of 65.04, besides picking up 10 wickets at 37.10.
Reddy and Thakur are in the India A squad, and their performance could be a deciding factor in the opening eleven. Manav Suthar, the left-arm spinner, could be tried more in the A-series in the future as a potential replacement of Ravindra Jadeja.
Harshit Rana, Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep- India’s reserve pacers
Jasprit Bumrah will be the leader of the pace bowling attack. India are expected to welcome Mohammed Shami into the red-ball side for the first time since the WTC 2021-23 final against Australia. Mohammed Siraj was also decent down under.
If the national side seeks to go with a different plan, then Arshdeep Singh’s left-arm pace can be the X-factor. But surprisingly, he is not in the India-A squad. The selectors might not want to unleash him, or perhaps are looking at Khaleel Ahmed for the side.
In case of Bumrah or Shami’s injury, there are reserve pacers like Harshit Rana, Mukesh Kumar, and Akash Deep. It’s a long series. So, some of the batters’ form will go up and down while the bowlers will be tired. And that will bring the reserve members into the playing eleven.
Read More: Abhimanyu Easwaran at his consistent best: Scores hundred in Irani Cup 2024-25 for ROI
