India's batting is a major concern with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli struggling for runs ahead of the tour of Australia.
Mohammed Shami's non-inclusion was a major talking point as the selectors resisted against making major changes for the all-important five Test series Australia, starting next month, opting for a mix of experience and young stars.
Bengal opener Abhimanyu Easwaran earned a deserved call up to the Indian Test team after a stellar run with the bat in domestic cricket, scoring four centuries in succession.
He scored two hundreds for India B in the Duleep Trophy before he followed it up with another classy knock of 191 for Rest of India in the Irani Cup match against Mumbai. He continued his good form in the Ranji Trophy, with another unbeaten century for Bengal against Uttar Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy.
Easwaran had been part of the Indian Test team earlier for the series against Bangladesh and England earlier this year, but never got a chance to play. In Australia he is assured of an international debut as Captain Rohit Sharma will miss a Test for the birth of his second child.
Young turks Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy were the two surprise inclusions as they made it to the Test team on basis of their good showing in T20 cricket.
Delhi pacer Rana made a mark on the selectors during IPL 2024, where he played a major role in Kolkata Knight Riders' title triumph with 19 wickets in 13 games. Though he was mainly in India's plans for limited overs cricket, he showcased his red ball potential with two four-wicket hauls for India D in the Duleep Trophy.
Nitish Kumar Reddy also impressed with his all-round performances for Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2024, hitting 303 runs at a strike rate of 142, while taking three wickets. He was fast-tracked into the Indian T20 team, and he made the opportunity count with a superb showing against Bangladesh, smashing a brilliant 74 from 34 balls. Medium pacer Reddy also opened the bowling, picking up 2/23 in four overs, while taking 1/31 in the next game.
The 21 year old opened the bowling for Andhra in the Ranji Trophy match against Gujarat, where he took 1/48 in 13 overs and played two useful knocks of 47 and 34 batting in the lower order at No 7 -- a role which he could be expected to play if he makes it to India's playing XI for the Test matches as the seam-bowling all-rounder.
With Hardik Pandya not willing to make a comeback to red ball cricket, the selectors sougt an all-rounder, who could bowl a few overs of seam while providing the stability in the lower order. While Shardul Thakur filled that role overseas in the past few years, he was overlooked this time as the selectors took a gamble with the untested but promising Reddy.
Reddy, who has been picked in the India A squad to play a couple of first class games against Australia, will get good practice ahead of the Test series and if he excels against Australia A, it could get him in reckoning for a Test debut in the series opener in Perth.
K L Rahul managed to retain his place despite calls to bring back the experienced Cheteshwar Pujara after India's poor batting performances in the ongoing Test series against New Zealand.
Pujara had kept his hopes alive with a superb double century (234) for Saurashtra in the opening Ranji Trophy match against Chhattisgarh. He also boasts of a good record in Australia -- 993 runs in 11 Tests at an average of 47 -- but the Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel indicated it had already moved on from him, who last played for India in June 2023, with his last Test appearance being the ICC World Test Championship final against Australia in 2023.
While there were no changes in the batting line-up, the selectors did go for some changes in the bowling. Spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel were left out, while pacer Prasidh Krishna made a comeback after an injury hiatus.
Krishna went through a long injury lay-off after his Test debut against South Africa in December-January. He made a comeback during the Duleep Trophy after eight months out of action, where he took four wickets in two matches for India A, before he bagged two more wickets for Rest of India in the Irani Cup to assure the selectors of his fitness.
His inclusion was only possible as Mohammed Shami could not prove his fitness in time. While BCCI didn't give any update on Shami, it is believed that if he manages to prove fitness by playing in a domestic game in the coming weeks, he could be added to the original 18 member squad
The selectors and the team management have not given up on Shami, who could play for Bengal in the Ranji Trophy match against Karnataka in Bengaluru from November 6 and if all goes well, he might join the Indian team in Australia before the start of the series on November 26.
With Mohammed Siraj not in great form currently, having picked just six wickets in his last three Tests, and Akash Deep not having much experience of Test cricket, there will be a lot of pressure on Jasprit Bumrah to deliver with the ball.
Washington Sundar, who played a crucial role with both bat and ball in the series-deciding Brisbane Test in January 2021, retains his place after a seven wicket haul in his comeback Test against New Zealand in Pune. He could fight for a place in the playing XI with his senior spin colleagues Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin.
India's batting is a major concern. The senior-most batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have struggled with the bat, while the likes of Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant and Sarfaraz Khan haven't been consistent.
As India seeks a third consecutive Test series win Down Under, they face formidable odds against a refreshed Australian side on home soil.
India's squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Jasprit Bumrah (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (wicket-keeper), R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Mohd. Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar.
Reserves: Mukesh Kumar, Navdeep Saini, Khaleel Ahmed
