Indian Cricket Team Announced for England Tour with New Leadership
The Indian cricket team has announced its squad for the upcoming tour to England, marking a new chapter with Shubman Gill as captain and Rishabh Pant as vice-captain. This selection emphasizes the importance of domestic cricket performance over IPL achievements. Notable returns include Karun Nair and Shardul Thakur, who have excelled in domestic matches. Nair's impressive stats include 863 runs in the Ranji Trophy, while Thakur has made significant contributions with both bat and ball. This shift in focus aims to strengthen the team's foundation as they prepare for international challenges.
May 24, 2025, 18:43 IST
New Leadership for Indian Test Team
The Indian cricket team is set to embark on a tour to England next month in June, following the retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from Test cricket. The announcement of the squad was made on Saturday, with Shubman Gill appointed as the captain and Rishabh Pant taking on the role of vice-captain. This decision highlights the necessity for players to focus on domestic cricket to earn their place in the Test squad.
Unlike the selection process for the IPL, the Indian team for Test matches will not be based on IPL performances. Instead, outstanding performances in red-ball cricket will be crucial. Playing domestic cricket is essential, as evidenced by the return of players like Karun Nair and Shardul Thakur. If selections were based solely on IPL, players like Abhimanyu Easwaran and Nitish Reddy might not have made the cut, and Rishabh Pant would not have been appointed as vice-captain.
After an impressive run in domestic cricket, Karun Nair has earned a spot in the Indian team after eight years. Shardul Thakur also makes a comeback to the Test squad after nearly a year and a half, having been overlooked for the Australia tour. His remarkable performances for Mumbai in domestic cricket, both with bat and ball, have caught the selectors' attention.
Performance Stats of Karun Nair and Shardul Thakur
Karun Nair has scored 863 runs in 16 innings across 9 Ranji Trophy matches, averaging 53.93, which includes 4 centuries and 2 half-centuries. Meanwhile, Shardul Thakur has accumulated 505 runs in 12 innings from 9 matches, averaging 42.08, with 1 century and 4 half-centuries, along with taking 35 wickets in 18 innings.