Mohammed Shami returns, Rishabh Pant and Shardul Thakur named in Team India for the first three Tests against England

Indian team for the first three Test matches against England was announced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Wednesday, just a day after the visitors lost the three-match One Day International series 1-2. Fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who aggravated a lower back condition in the third ODI against England, is being assessed by the BCCI medical team and a call on his inclusion in the Test squad will be made soon while Mohammed Shami has made a comeback into the team after facing a series of allegations by his wife Hasin Jahan.

Pacer Jasprit Bumrah who has been included in the 18-member squad and will be available for selection from the second Test onwards based on his fitness. The team includes two wicketkeepers in Dinesh Karthik and Rishabh Pant. The team has three spinners - R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav while Yuzvendra Chahal has missed out.

India’s squad for first three Tests against England: Virat Kohli (Captain), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, M Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), Karun Nair, Dinesh Karthik (wicketkeeper), Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur.

Schedule of the first three Tests:

First Test
Date/Day: August 1-5
Time: 15:30 IST
Venue: Edgbaston, Birmingham

Second Test
Date/Day: August 9-13
Time: 15:30 IST
Venue: Lord's, London

Third Test
Date/Day: August 18-22
Time: 15:30 IST
Venue: Trent Bridge, Nottingham

The All-India Senior Selection Committee met in Leeds to pick the Indian team for the first three matches of the upcoming five-Test series against England. The committee also selected the Board President XI team that is scheduled to play a three-day warm-up game against South Africa ‘A’ in Belgaum from July 30.

BP XI for warm-up fixture against South Africa ‘A’: Ishan Kishan (C & WK), RR Sanjay, AR Eshwaran, Dhruv Shorey, Anmolpreet Singh, Ricky Bhui, Jalaj Saxena, Siddhesh Lad, Mihir Hirwani, DA Jadeja, Avesh Khan, Shivam Mavi, Ishaan Porel, Atith Seth.