Suresh Raina Advocates for Aquib Nabi's Inclusion in Test Squad Against Afghanistan
Raina's Support for Aquib Nabi
Suresh Raina, a former Indian cricket star, expressed that Aquib Nabi, a pacer from Jammu and Kashmir, deserved a spot in the upcoming one-off Test against Afghanistan. Raina highlighted Nabi's significant contribution to his team's historic Ranji Trophy victory, marking their first title win.
Aquib's impressive performance this season saw him emerge as the leading wicket-taker, claiming 60 wickets at an outstanding average of 12.56, with his best bowling figures being 7/24. He also recorded two four-wicket hauls and seven five-wicket hauls.
Raina's Insights on Other Selections
In discussing the squad selections, Raina acknowledged the strong performances of bowlers Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj, noting their effective line and length. He also mentioned the inclusion of uncapped pacer Gurnoor Brar, who stands tall at 6'5". Raina suggested that Shubman Gill, captain of Gujarat Titans, likely influenced Brar's selection due to his unique physical attributes.
Raina stated, "Prasidh and Siraj are performing well, and Gurnoor brings a different dynamic with his height. He has taken 52 wickets in 18 first-class matches. The selection committee, including Pragyan Ojha and RP Singh, has been diligent in monitoring top performers throughout the red-ball season."
India's Squads for Afghanistan
The Indian Test squad for the match against Afghanistan includes: Shubman Gill (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul (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.
For the ODI squad, the players are: Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (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.