India’s captain Rohit Sharma will not be part of the first Test against Bangladesh which starts on Wednesday, as he continues treatment for a thumb injury that he sustained earlier this week.
A BCCI press release on Sunday said Rohit had met with a specialist in Mumbai, and is working towards being fit enough to join the team for the second Test which starts on December 22. The final call on his availability will be taken by the board’s medical team. In Rohit’s absence, KL Rahul, the stand-in captain, and Shubman Gill are likely to open the batting with Abhimanyu Easwaran, who was leading India A in Bangladesh, waiting in the wings.
Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Shami have been ruled out of the tour altogether, still nursing shoulder and knee injuries. Once again, two India A players are stepping up in their stead, with Uttar Pradesh left-arm spinner Saurabh Kumar and Delhi fast bowler Navdeep Saini joining the senior squad.
Saurashtra’s Jaydev Unadkat has also been brought in to reinforce a pace attack that includes Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Shardul Thakur.
Rishabh Pant, who had gone to Bangladesh with the ODI squad only to be released ahead of the first match last Sunday, has rejoined the team in Chattogram.
India’s squad: KL Rahul (capt), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara (vice-capt), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (wk), KS Bharat (wk), R Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Navdeep Saini, Saurabh Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat
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