Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harshit Rana have been handed their debut caps as India have named a pace-bowling heavy playing XI for the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. Another surprise call made by the Indian team management is the inclusion of Washington Sundar in the playing XI ahead of Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin.
Sundar is the lone spinner in India's playing XI and therefore he would have to shoulder plenty of responsibility with the ball in hand. Sundar's inclusion seems to be purely based on his wicket-taking form. The spin-bowling allrounder claimed 16 wickets in the two Tests that he played against the Blackcaps at home in the previous series.
Video from the cap presentation ceremony:
Sundar was by far the best India spinner in the series, averaging 14.12 with the ball in hand, including two four-fers and a five-wicket haul.
Team India have made two other notable additions to their playing XI in the form of Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel. Padikkar is playing in his second Test for India after he made his debut against England at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium (HPCA) in Dharamsala in March.
On the other hand, Jurel is playing his fourth Test. He made his Test debut against England in the same series and played three games.
India's (Playing XI): KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant(w), Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Reddy, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana, Jasprit Bumrah(c), Mohammed Siraj
India’s squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy:
Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Devdutt Padikkal.
Reserves: Mukesh Kumar, Navdeep Saini, Khaleel Ahmed.
Australia squad for 1st Test of Border-Gavaskar Trophy vs India
Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Nathan McSweeney, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc
