Published 21:23 IST, February 22nd 2021
Senior pacer Umesh Yadav added to Team India squad for final two Tests against England
Vidharbha pacer Umesh Yadav has been added to Team India's Test squad for the remaining two matches against England that will be played in Ahmedabad
Senior fast bowler Umesh Yadav has been added to the Team India squad for the last two Test matches against England. This has officially been confirmed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on their official Twitter handle.
In the official statement released by the BCCI, it has been confirmed that Yadav had appeared for a fitness test on Sunday, February 21 at Ahmedabad's Motera Stadium and that he has cleared his fitness test as a result of which the speedster has been added to the squad for the last two Tests of the ongoing four-match Test series.
At the same time, it has also been confirmed that Mumbai pacer Shardul Thakur has been released from the squad to take part in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Umesh was ruled out of the final two Tests against Australia Down Under after suffering a calf muscle injury while bowling in the Boxing Day Test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Umesh hobbled off the field after suffering the injury during the third day of the contest and could take no further part in the series.
Here's Team India's squad for the final two Tests:
Virat Kohli (Captain), Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper), R Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Md. Siraj, Umesh Yadav
Who will gain the upper hand in the Ahmedabad Test?
After a humiliating 227-run loss in the first Test at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, a spirited Indian team ended up registering an emphatic win by a mammoth 317 runs at the same venue to level the four-match series 1-1.
What is at stake for both sides?
If India win the ongoing series by at least a margin of 2-1, then the side would qualify for the finals of the ICC World Test Championship. If the Virat Kohli-led side does succeed in getting the job done, then they would earn the right to face New Zealand in the ICC World Test Championship final that will be contested from June 18-22 at the 'Mecca of Cricket' Lord's.
As of now, Kohli & Co. occupy the second spot in the ICC World Test Championship points table.
However, India who currently have 69.7 percentage points cannot afford another loss in this series. England, who led the table after winning the opening Test, has slipped to the fourth spot with 67.0 percentage points. They can still qualify provided they win both remaining matches of the ongoing series.
Updated 21:23 IST, February 22nd 2021