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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed on Sunday that opener K.L. Rahul will lead India in the first of two Test matches against Bangladesh in the absence of Rohit Sharma, who has been ruled out of the opening match due to a left thumb injury.
Rohit sustained a thumb injury during the second One-Day International against Bangladesh on Wednesday. He missed the third ODI, flew to Mumbai to see a specialist, and has been advised on how to treat his injury.
The All-India Senior Selection Committee has named Abhimanyu Easwaran to replace Rohit for the first Test, with Cheteshwar Pujara named vice-captain.
”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 said in a media release.
“The BCCI Medical Team will take a call on his availability for the second and final Test at a later stage. The All-India Senior Selection Committee has named Abhimanyu Easwaran as his replacement for the first Test,” it added.
The board also stated that Mohd. Shami and Ravindra Jadeja are yet to fully recover from their respective shoulder and knee injuries and are ruled out of the Test series.
“Fast bowler Mohd. Shami and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja are yet to fully recover from their respective shoulder and knee injuries and are ruled out of the Test series. The selectors have named Navdeep Saini and Saurabh Kumar as replacements for Shami and Jadeja respectively,” it said.
Meanwhile, fast bowler Jaydev Unadkat has been called up to India’s Test squad.
The 31-year-old is only the second player in his career to be called up to the Indian Test squad. His only Test appearance came almost 12 years ago, in the first Test of South Africa’s 2010/11 tour in Centurion.
Unadkat was recently the highest wicket-taker in the 2022/23 Vijay Hazare Trophy, taking 19 wickets in ten matches to lead Saurashtra to victory. Aside from one Test appearance, the left-hander has played seven ODIs and ten T20Is for India. He was last seen in the national team when India won the Nidahas Trophy in Sri Lanka in March 2018.
India’s updated squad: 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
