India Test Squad Vs Afghanistan Leaked; BCCI To Drop Gujarat Titans Opener

BCCI selection committee could drop GT opener from IND squad vs AFG [Source: AFP]It has been understood that the Ajit Agarkar-led BCCI selection committee is going to persist with the core of India's batting unit for the upcoming one-off Test against Afghanistan. The Afghanistan cricket team will travel to India for a multi-format tour comprising one Test match and three ODIs. The one-off Test between the two teams will be played at the Mullanpur Stadium in New Chandigarh from June 6 to 10. Meanwhile, the India Test squad vs Afghanistan has been leaked, with reports claiming the ouster of one of Gujarat Titans' biggest match-winners. India to keep core batting group unchanged vs AfghanistanAccording to the Times of India, the BCCI selection committee will keep the core batting group unchanged in the India Test Squad Vs Afghanistan. Earlier, several reports suggested that the hosts might rest their regular skipper Shubman Gill, as the one-off Test against Afghanistan is not a part of the current WTC cycle. However, a fresh report by the Times of India suggests that Shubman Gill will likely be included in the India Test squad vs Afghanistan. If he gets in, Gill will undoubtedly lead the side, which will also likely comprise the experienced trio of KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal. Rahul and Jaiswal open the batting for the Indian Test team, while Shubman Gill has succeeded Virat Kohli at number four. Also Read: Mohammed Shami’s India Comeback Talks Begin In BCCIRishabh Pant is one of the most significant members of the Test side, having scripted several memorable wins, including the iconic Gabba triumph, for the Indian team. The swashbuckling batter is expected to play at number five, with Dhruv Jurel likely to retain his spot in the India Test Squad Vs Afghanistan. B Sai Sudharsan might be replaced by Devdutt PadikkalThe report states that young batter B Sai Sudharsan might lose his place due to middling returns at number three. Prominent Karnataka batter Devdutt Padikkal, who has an impressive record in First-Class cricket, could replace the southpaw. Sai Sudharsan has been a prolific performer for Gujarat Titans in IPL, scoring 2233 runs at a superb average of 47.51 and a strike rate of 148.08. However, despite India giving him enough opportunities, Sudharsan hasn't lived up to the expectations in Test cricket, managing only 302 runs at a modest average of 27.4. Therefore, as the report claims, Devdutt Padikkal might enter the India Test Squad Vs Afghanistan, having performed magnificently in the domestic circuit. Jasprit Bumrah to be rested; India to experiment with their pace attackGiven that Jasprit Bumrah has been prone to injuries and the one-off Test isn't included in the WTC, the BCCI is expected to rest the seasoned campaigner for the match. In Bumrah's absence, some fresh faces could be added to the India Test squad vs Afghanistan. The TOI report states that the BCCI will take a final call on Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna's participation after assessing their workload in the IPL. So, the likes of Auqib Nabi, who grabbed the attention with stellar performances in the Ranji Trophy, could make it into the India Test squad vs Afghanistan. India's likely Test squad vs AfghanistanShubman Gill (C), KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Padikkal, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Auqib Nabi, Harsh Dubey, Mohammed Shami, Anshul KambojAlso Read: Tim David's Obscene Gesture Caught Live On Air; Will BCCI Punish RCB Star?