Latest news with #Agarkar-led
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First Post
5 days ago
- Sport
- First Post
Last-minute call-up for Harshit Rana? Pacer, originally ignored for England Tests, asked to stay back with India squad
Harshit Rana had played the first unofficial Test for India A against England Lions, in which he collected a solitary wicket for 99 runs, and was also part of the intra-squad game against the Shubman Gill-led Indian team. read more Harshit Rana had made his Test debut during the tour of Australia, where he collected 3/48 in his first outing with the Indian team. AP The Shubman Gill-led India squad for the upcoming England Test series that the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee had announced last month might not be set in stone, with pacer Harshit Rana having been asked to stay back after the conclusion of India A's matches in England. Rana, who had made his international debut in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia recently, was part of the India A team that played two unofficial Tests against England Lions along with an intra-squad match against the Gill-led Indian team that will be in action four days from now. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Rana to not board the flight back to India with the rest of the India A squad According to RevSportz, Rana will not be boarding the flight back to India along with rest of the India A squad on Tuesday, 17 June, and has been asked to stay back in England with the main squad. However, it's yet to be confirmed whether Rana has officially been added to the Gill-led squad, or whether he simply is on standby at the moment. Rana had played the first unofficial Test against the James Rew-led England Lions team in Canterbury, collecting a solitary wicket, that of Josh Hull, for 99 runs. Several members of the India A squad have reportedly received offers from County teams, but it isn't clear whether Rana's case is of a similar nature. The Agarkar-led selection committee back picked Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, Akash Deep and Shardul Thakur in the pace department for the tour of England along with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. Nitish Kumar Reddy has been picked as the lone seam-bowling all-rounder for the upcoming series. Mohammed Shami, who had made his return to the Indian team after spending more than a year on the sidelines, was overlooked for the tour, as was Rana – who had played the first two Tests in the tour of Australia, collecting 3/48 in his first outing in Perth.
News18
11-05-2025
- Sport
- News18
Virat Kohli Unlikely To Consider Ajit Agarkar's Request, Set To Retire From Tests: Report
Last Updated: Virat Kohli is unlikely to reconsider his decision to retire from Tests before the England series, despite BCCI's efforts to persuade him to stay. Ace India batter Virat Kohli is unlikely to reconsider his decision to retire from Tests with just over a month left for the England series, even though BCCI are looking to try every possible way to make him stay, at least for the upcoming series, in which his experience is considered to be crucial. According to a report in The Times of India, Kohli, after having got a request from BCCI to reconsider his decision, in the wake of India ODI skipper Rohit Sharma retiring from Tests ahead of the England series as well, hasn't backed down from his stand. The report adds that BCCI and the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee are still trying to convince Kohli to tour and shore up India's inexperienced middle order on such a crucial tour of England. 'Kohli had informed the selectors two weeks ago (about his desire to quit Tests). They were trying to persuade him to play in the Test series against England. However, he is still firm on his stance. The final call will come close to the selection meeting next week," sources told The Times of India. Kohli has had a brilliant Test career but has struggled in the format recently. In Australia in late 2024, the repetitive manner of his dismissals, caught poking outside off stump, even raised questions about whether he still deserved a permanent place in the team. Despite Kohli's recent struggles and prolonged lean patch, the Agarkar-led selection committee are keen that he be present in India's team in England to lend experience to a new-look side in which Shubman Gill might be the captain. Kohli's unavailability, if it happens, can present a new headache for the Agarkar-led selection committee regarding his replacement at No. 4 in the batting order. As of now, Kohli hasn't made any official announcement, and it is believed that he will be requested to compete in the upcoming five-Test series in England as his experience will be required in challenging conditions. Rajat Patidar has emerged as a strong contender to replace Sarfaraz Khan in the team, the report says. First Published: May 11, 2025, 10:34 IST
