Two more spinners added to India's Test squad as net bowlers

Jayant Yadav and Pulkit Narang have been called up to Team India’s ongoing training camp in Nagpur ahead of the Test series against Australia. Haryana’s Yadav, who has already represented India, and Delhi’s Pulkit Narang, who is currently with the Services, have joined the team’s net bowling squad. The two off-spinners join four additional spinners in Sai Kishore, Rahul Chahal, Washington Sundar, and Saurabh Kumar in assisting Rohit Sharma and the company in preparing for the flagship Test series. The appearance of extra off-spinners indicates India’s desire to neutralise Australia’s Nathan Lyon, the visitors’ most experienced spinner.

The forthcoming four-Test series will very certainly determine the World Test Championship finalists for the 2021-23 cycle, and pitches will almost certainly play an important part. India must win the series 3-1 or 4-0 to advance to The Oval contest in June, while Australia only needs one win to secure the final slot. The hosts will have a day off on Sunday before moving to the new VCA Stadium in Jamtha near Nagpur, which will host the opening game. So far, the camp has been held at the city’s Old VCA stadium.

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Yadav made his debut for India in 2016

Jayant Yadav played the first of four Tests against Australia in 2016-17. In Pune, though, he only took one wicket in each of the first and second innings, dismissing Nathan Lyon and Matt Renshaw. Despite being down by 33 runs, the hosts came back to win the series 2-1. In March 2022, the 33-year-old last played a Test against New Zealand. Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja are the current members of India’s spin assault. Jadeja grabbed seven wickets in the Ranji Trophy after returning from a knee injury. The left-arm spinner will almost certainly open the series alongside Ravichandran Ashwin.

Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Lance Morris, Todd Murphy, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner

India squad: (for the first two Tests) Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul (vc), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KS Bharat, Ishan Kishan, Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Suryakumar Yadav