3 Surprising exclusions from India's main Test squad for England series

No one had wondered that after the Adelaide debacle, team India will bounce back to win the Test series. With a plethora of injuries, the team managed to bounce back and win the Test series, thanks to a big effort from the whole unit. This has opened up the Test championship as India are the favourites to beat England at Ahmedabad. And, the team for the Test series is already out!

After their emphatic victory, one thing that is echoing in the stands of the Gabba is ‘temperament’. The team worked collectively and fought every obstacle which was thrown in its way. This victory is sweeter than that of the 2018/2019 series because this time, the team was morally challenged and lacked senior players. There is only one phrase to describe Test cricket, ‘Where talent meets opportunity’.

Now, the main focus is on the upcoming England tour of India. This is a crucial tour as it will decide the future of the Test championship. Apart from that, team India have the “home ground” advantage as they are almost invincible when they play in India. After the squad was declared, a few major exclusions have been noticed.

Let us have a look at 3 surprising exclusions from India’s main Test squad for England series:

1. Shahbaz Nadeem

Whenever the Indian team looks to play in India, the spin department is filled with mighty players who can use the turf to turn the game in the favour of the team. As Ravindra Jadeja was injured during the SCG Test, there was some buzz that the management might look for a spinner. After Sundar’s heroics at the Gabba, the team might have looked at a finger spinner who could have used the conditions. But, that was not the case for Shahbaz Nadeem.

The domestic veteran has played over 117 first-class matches and has taken 443 wickets. In the only Test match he played, he took four wickets at an economy rate of 2.30. This means that he was a valuable asset to the spin department. Apart from that in the List A games, he has taken 151 wickets with the best bowling figures of 8/10. 

Now, these stellar performances might be enough to cement his place in the Test squad. However, the management has opted for Washington Sundar ahead of Nadeem. Probably, Sundar’s batting ability has helped him to retain his place and Sundar is India’s backup for Jadeja. But for a bowler who has taken numerous game-changing wickets, this might be a heartbreak.