India rest Bumrah and Jadeja for one-off Afghanistan Test

NEW DELHI: India have left out pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja from their squad for next month’s one-off Test against Afghanistan, with the selectors naming Shubman Gill as captain for the match and the subsequent one-day series.

The 15-man Test squad was announced on Tuesday. Bumrah has been rested amid concerns over managing the workload of the 32-year-old fast bowler, who features for India in all three formats and is currently playing for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League.

Jadeja has also been omitted after picking up a niggle during the IPL. Gill will captain the side in the Test, while KL Rahul has been appointed vice-captain in place of Rishabh Pant.

Chief selector Ajit Agarkar said Pant’s removal from the vice-captaincy was not linked to his place in the side. “We want him to become the best Test player that he has always been,” chief selector Ajit Agarkar said of Pant’s removal as Test vice-captain. “I don’t think there is any concern with his spot in the Test team. I think he is one of our main batters in that line-up.”

New faces in Test squad

India have handed maiden Test call-ups to left-arm spinners Manav Suthar and Harsh Dubey, along with Punjab pace bowler Gurnoor Brar. The one-off Test against Afghanistan is scheduled to begin on June 6 in New Chandigarh.

The Test squad comprises Shubman Gill as captain, Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul as vice-captain, Sai Sudharsan, Rishabh Pant, Devdutt Padikkal, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Manav Suthar, Gurnoor Brar, Harsh Dubey and Dhruv Jurel.

ODI squad announced for three-match series

After the Test, India will play three one-day internationals against Afghanistan on June 14, 17 and 20. Gill has also been named captain for that series.

Veteran batter Virat Kohli, who has retired from Test and Twenty20 international cricket, has been included in the ODI squad. Former captain Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya have also been selected, although their places are subject to fitness.

Shreyas Iyer has been named vice-captain for the ODI series, while Pant has not been included in the one-day squad.

The ODI squad includes Shubman Gill as captain, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer as vice-captain, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Prince Yadav, Gurnoor Brar and Harsh Dubey.

The selections mean Gill will lead India in both formats against Afghanistan, with the Test squad featuring several fresh faces and the ODI group bringing back some senior names, subject in some cases to fitness.