India’s updated squad for Bangladesh Tests: Navdeep Saini and Saurabh Kumar replace Mohammed Shami and Ravindra Jadeja

Fast bowler Navdeep Saini and all-rounder Saurabh Kumar have been named as replacements for Mohammed Shami and Ravindra Jadeja in Team India’s updated squad for the upcoming Test series against Bangladesh.

Having lost the three-game ODI series by a 2-1 margin, India will now take on Bangladesh in a two-match Test series. The first game will be played in Chattogram from December 14 to 18 and the second in Dhaka from December 22 to 26.

In an official release on Sunday, December 11, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that both Shami and Jadeja are yet to fully recover from their respective shoulder and knee injuries and have thus been ruled out of the Test series.

Also, as reported earlier, Saurashtra left-arm pacer Jaydev Unadkat has also been added to the Indian squad for the Test series against Bangladesh.

Sharing an update on Indian captain Rohit Sharma’s thumb injury, the Indian cricket board stated that he will not be available for the first Test of the series. KL Rahul will lead the team in the first Test, while veteran batter Cheteshwar Pujara has been named vice-captain. The BCCI statement on Rohit read:

“India captain Rohit Sharma met with a specialist in Mumbai for his left thumb injury, which he sustained during the 2nd ODI against Bangladesh. He has been advised appropriate management for this injury and will not be available for the first Test against Bangladesh.

"The BCCI Medical Team will take a call on his availability for the second and final Test at a later stage."

Meanwhile, selectors have named Bengal captain Abhimanyu Easwaran as Rohit’s replacement for the first Test.

---

Team India's updated squad for Bangladesh Tests

KL Rahul (C), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara (VC), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (WK), KS Bharat (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Navdeep Saini, Saurabh Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat.