India announce squad for England Test series, name new captain

The BCCI has announced India’s 18-member squad for the much-anticipated five-Test series against England, starting June 20. Leading the side will be Shubman Gill, who takes over as captain, with Rishabh Pant named vice-captain.

This squad strikes a balance between seasoned names and exciting young talent. Among the fresh inclusions are Karun Nair, Shardul Thakur, and Sai Sudharsan—each making a return or debut on the back of impressive domestic performances.

One of the big talking points is the absence of veteran pacer Mohammed Shami, who is still recovering from injury and working toward full fitness. In his place, the pace attack gets a fresh boost with first-time Test selections for Sai Sudharsan and Arshdeep Singh.

Sudharsan, who made his ODI debut earlier this year in South Africa, has been rewarded for consistent form with the bat. Arshdeep, known for his success in India’s T20 setup—including triumphs in the 2024 T20 World Cup and 2025 Champions Trophy—now steps into the red-ball format.

For 11 players in the squad, this will be their first Test series in England, adding an extra layer of challenge and excitement to the tour.

Also returning to the squad is Karun Nair, back in the national frame after nearly eight years, following a stellar domestic season. Shardul Thakur, who last played a Test in early 2024, also earns a recall.

Abhimanyu Easwaran keeps his place from the Border-Gavaskar Trophy squad, continuing his steady rise through the ranks.

Notably, despite a standout Ranji Trophy campaign, Shreyas Iyer has not been picked—underlining the intense competition for places in the current Indian Test setup.

India squad for the England Test series:

Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc, wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudarshan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.