News: BCCI announce squads for last two Tests and the ODI series against Australia

KL Rahul, India’s struggling opening batsman, has been retained in the side for the third and fourth Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023 against Australia. Surprisingly, he was not selected as vice-captain. Left-arm bowler Jaydev Unadkat, who was left out of the team for the second Test to play in the Ranji Trophy final, returns for the remaining two games against Australia. In the Ranji Trophy final versus Bengal, Unadkat was named Player of the Match. He took nine wickets as Saurashtra won the top domestic title for the second time.

On Sunday, February 19, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed the Indian lineup for the remaining Test matches, following the hosts’ six-wicket victory over Australia in the second Test in Delhi. As previously reported, lead bowler Jasprit Bumrah has been left out of the squad for the remaining Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023 Tests. He is still recovering from a back ailment that has kept him out of international play since September 2022.

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India will be without Rohit Sharma for the first One-Day International owing to family obligations, according to the BCCI. Hardik Pandya will take over as captain in Rohit’s absence. Shahbaz Ahmed and Rajat Patidar, who were in the team for the New Zealand series last month, have been omitted. KL Rahul returns at the expense of KS Bharat, although he isn’t the team’s chosen vice-captain this time.

Unadkat last played an ODI in 2013, although he has been on the selectors’ radar for quite some time. ESPNcricinfo has gathered that the selectors were impressed by his performance in the recent Vijay Hazare Cup, where he was the best wicket-taker with 19 scalps from 10 games, assisting Saurashtra to victory. Ravindra Jadeja, who returned to Test cricket after a five-month sabbatical due to knee surgery, has now returned to the ODI fold. Shreyas Iyer felt the same way after missing the ODIs against New Zealand and the first Test against Australia due to a back issue.

India’s Test squad for the third and fourth Test against Australia: Rohit Sharma (Captain), K L Rahul, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat.

India’s squad for ODIs against Australia: Rohit Sharma (capt), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya (vice-capt), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umran Malik, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Jaydev Unadkat