Uncapped batsman Sarfaraz Khan has earned a spot in India’s Test squad for the upcoming match against England, starting February 2 in Visakhapatnam. The 26-year-old has been knocking on the selection doors, boasting an impressive record of 3912 runs in 45 first-class matches, with an average of 69.85, including 14 centuries and 11 fifties.
Pakistani batsman Imam-ul-Haq congratulated Sarfaraz on his inclusion, expressing his happiness for him. It’s worth noting that Imam and Sarfaraz have previously faced each other in the 2014 U19 World Cup match in Dubai.
The Indian team faced a setback with Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul ruled out of the second Test due to injury. Jadeja suffered a hamstring injury during the first Test, while Rahul felt discomfort in his right quadriceps, as confirmed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). In response, the BCCI announced the addition of Sarfaraz Khan, Sourabh Kumar, and Washington Sundar to the squad.
India vs England Test squad
India Test Series Squad
Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer, KS Bharat (Wicketkeeper), Dhruv Jurel (Wicketkeeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah (Vice-Captain), Avesh Khan, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Washington Sundar, and Saurabh Kumar.
England Test Series Squad
Ben Stokes (captain), Rehan Ahmed, James Anderson, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow (wicketkeeper), Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ben Foakes, Tom Hartley, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Mark Wood.
England claimed a remarkable 28-run victory in the first Test in Hyderabad, staging a remarkable comeback from a seemingly certain defeat. After a lackluster start, England’s strong performance with both bat and ball posed challenges for India, restricting them to just 202 runs in their chase of a 231-run target in the final innings. Debutant Tom Hartley’s outstanding performance with the ball, securing seven wickets for 62 runs, played a crucial role in England’s hard-fought win.
This defeat marked the first time India lost a Test match at home after taking a lead of over 100 runs. Additionally, England became the first visiting team to score 400+ runs in the third innings against India, a feat previously achieved by England in Ahmedabad in 2012.
India vs England Test Series Matches Scheduled
- 2nd Test: February 2-6 (Friday-Tuesday) – Dr. YS Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam
- 3rd Test: February 15-19 (Thursday-Monday) – Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Rajkot
- 4th Test: February 23-27 (Friday-Tuesday) – JSCA International Stadium Complex, Ranchi
- 5th Test: March 7-11 (Thursday-Monday) – Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala