Virat Kohli returns to lead India against England

Ishant Sharma and Hardik Pandya also return to Test duty, while Jasprit Bumrah is fit after missing the final Test against Australia through injury

Virat Kohli will return to India’s Test squad as captain when they host England in a four-Test series beginning in February, with the BCCI releasing an 18-man squad for the first two matches.

The talismanic batsman was only available for the first Test of India’s series win in Australia, before heading home for the birth of his child.

Also making Test comebacks are Ishant Sharma and Hardik Pandya; Sharma was left out of the Australia tour due to a lack of match fitness. He is just three appearances away from reaching a rare century for an Indian seamer.

Pandya is also recalled as a specialist batsman, having last played for India in red-ball cricket in 2018. Back surgery in 2019 has limited his bowling in the time since.

There is also a call-up for left-arm spinner Axar Patel, selected as a like-for-like replacement for Ravindra Jadeja, who injured his thumb during the third Test draw at the SCG. He provides a fourth spin option for Ravi Shastri’s squad, which also includes Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar.

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Hanuma Vihari, Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami are all absent, having been among the several India players to sustain injuries during the Australia series. Crucially, however, Jasprit Bumrah is included; the fast bowler missed the final Test.

Squad: Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant, Wriddhiman Saha, Hardik Pandya, KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur, R Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel

Reserves: KS Bharat (wk), Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shahbaz Nadeem, Rahul Chahar, Priyank Panchal

Net bowlers: Ankit Rajpoot, Avesh Khan, Sandeep Warrier, Krishnappa Gowtham, Saurabh Kumar