Rishabh Pant Returns, Yash Dayal Debuts In India’s 1st Test Squad Vs Bangladesh

India's squad for the first Test against Bangladesh includes Rishabh Pant's return and Yash Dayal's debut.

The BCCI has revealed India's squad for the first Test against Bangladesh. Rishabh Pant makes a comeback to the Test team, while Yash Dayal earns his first Test call-up.

Notably, Shreyas Iyer is absent from the squad.

Photo Credit: PTI

Jasprit Bumrah returns to international cricket after his significant role in India's T20 World Cup win in June. He will join forces with Mohammed Siraj, with Akash Deep and Dayal also included as pacers. The squad features a spin-heavy attack with Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav retaining their spots.

Rishabh Pant's Return

The Duleep Trophy was crucial for selection, and Rishabh Pant made an impact in the first round. Despite a quiet start with the bat for India A, Pant shone for India B with a quick 61 off 47 balls, setting a competitive target of 275 runs. His wicketkeeping skills were also on display.

Dhruv Jurel retains his place after debuting earlier this year against England. Jurel's consistent performances earned him a spot over senior wicketkeeper-batter KS Bharat. Jurel impressed with key middle-order contributions, including a solid 90-run knock in Ranchi.

Virat Kohli's Comeback

Virat Kohli returns to the Test team after missing the England series due to personal reasons. Kohli had opted out of all five Tests in that series. This will be his first red-ball game this year. In August, he returned to ODIs alongside captain Rohit Sharma during the Sri Lanka tour.

The Indian batters struggled against spin during the Sri Lanka series, highlighting a challenge they face against Bangladesh's spinners. Bangladesh recently swept Pakistan 2-0, showcasing their spin prowess.

The full squad includes: Rohit Sharma (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah, and Yash Dayal.

This announcement sets the stage for an exciting Test series between India and Bangladesh. Fans eagerly await to see how the team performs with these new additions and returning stars.