Shami out, Axar dropped: India's jumbo squad for Border-Gavaskar Trophy explained

India tour of Australia: The BCCI announced a jumbo 18-man squad for the five-Test series on Friday, October 25. While Mohammed Shami was not picked, India handed maiden Test call-ups to all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy and fast bowler Harshit Rana.

In Short

• India named an extended 18-man squad for Australia Tests
• India left out premier all-rounder Axar Patel, Mohammed Shami out
• India handed maiden Test call-up to all-rounder Nitish Reddy

India announced an extended 18-man squad for the 2024 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, a five-Test series in Australia starting November 22 in Perth. While regular players such as captain Rohit Sharma, vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah, and star batter Virat Kohli are included, there are some surprising omissions and inclusions.

India have picked a large pool of 18 players and 3 travelling reserves for the first five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy since the 1991-92 season. With plenty of back-up for pacers and a fast-bowling all-rounder, the selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, has picked a well-rounded squad.

One significant decision was the exclusion of Mohammed Shami, who has been working on regaining full fitness after heel surgery in February. He has not played for India since the ODI World Cup last year. Recently, Shami was seen bowling to Indian batters during the first Test of a three-match series against New Zealand in Bengaluru in October.

Shami pushed back against media reports suggesting he would miss the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Earlier this week, he stated he was completely pain-free and planned to play a couple of domestic matches before the tour of Australia. Bengal coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla also confirmed that Shami was eager to participate in two games during the ongoing Ranji Trophy campaign.

WHO'S IN AND WHO'S OUT OF BGT 2024-25?

- Jasprit Bumrah continues as vice-captain
- No Mohammed Shami (injury)
- No Axar Patel
- No Kuldeep Yadav (injury)
- No Mayank Yadav (injury)
- Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harshit Rana (maiden Test call-ups)
- Abhimanyu Easwaran (in)
- No comebacks for Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane

AXAR PATEL LEFT OUT

India also left out Axar Patel, their premier left-arm spinner, for the tour. Instead, they selected three spinners: R. Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Washington Sundar. Washington Sundar, who took seven wickets in the first innings of the Bengaluru Test against New Zealand—marking his return to the Test team after three years—was chosen over Axar Patel.

Kuldeep Yadav was also not considered for selection, according to the BCCI. The left-arm wrist-spinner, known for his effectiveness overseas, is set to undergo rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru to treat a chronic left groin issue.

Kuldeep played a Test match in Sydney in 2019, where he took five wickets, helping India secure their first series win in Australia in this format that year.

NITISH REDDY MAKES THE CUT

Additionally, India has included all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, who has been traveling as a reserve with the Test team during the home series against New Zealand. In the absence of Hardik Pandya, India has been seeking a fast-bowling all-rounder. While reports indicated Hardik might participate in red-ball cricket ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, India opted to trust Nitish, who recently excelled with an all-round performance against Bangladesh in a T20I match.

The squad also features several backup pace options, including Prasidh Krishna, who returns to the Test setup after battling injuries. He has played two Tests, with his last appearance coming against South Africa earlier this year.

Harshit Rana, the Kolkata Knight Riders fast bowler, receives his maiden Test call-up after impressing with his pace and intent during the IPL 2024 season.

Mayank Yadav, the Lucknow Super Giants pace sensation, made his T20I debut and performed well against Bangladesh. However, an injury has ruled him out of the Australia tour after he was initially considered for selection. The BCCI confirmed that Mayank was left out due to injuries, missing the T20I squad for the South Africa tour in November.

India has rewarded Abhimanyu Easwaran's consistent performances with another Test call-up. The 29-year-old opener from Bengal has scored four centuries in his last four first-class matches, including a hundred in the Ranji Trophy season opener against Uttar Pradesh in Lucknow earlier this month.

Ruturaj Gaikwad, who will lead India A on their tour of Australia, was not considered for this squad.

India’s Squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25

Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (WK), R. Ashwin, R. Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar.

Reserves: Mukesh Kumar, Navdeep Saini, Khaleel Ahmed.