Axar Patel regains full fitness; available for selection for the 2nd Test
Axar Patel, who missed the first Test after complaining of pain in his left knee, has completely recovered. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in its media release confirmed that the all-rounder is now available for selection for the 2nd Test in Chennai against England.
NEWS: @akshar2026 available for selection for second @Paytm #INDvENG Test
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 11, 2021
Details ? https://t.co/ZElhjWBKhB pic.twitter.com/xluEp7XZoq
The All-India Senior Selection Committee have also withdrawn Shahbaz Nadeem and Rahul Chahar from the main roster and added the pair back to the standby list. Ahead of the 1st Test, the injury to Axar Patel compelled India to do a last-minute change in the playing XI by bringing in Nadeem. Unfortunately, the left-arm spinner failed to contain runs, giving away a total of 239 runs in 59 overs.
"Axar had a minor knee niggle and has already started batting at the nets. He is expected to start bowling during the next couple of days. He was always the first choice to play the opening Test but it will depend on skipper Virat Kohli, head coach Ravi Shastri and bowling coach Bharath Arun," a senior BCCI source was quoted as saying to PTI on Wednesday.
In a video uploaded by BCCI on Thursday, he was seen rolling his arm over in India's training session. According to a report, the Gujarat all-rounder is all set to make his Test debut against England in the 2nd Test at Chepauk.
Look, who is back in the nets! @akshar2026 is here and raring to go! @Paytm #TeamIndia #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/HdaO9MgS9q
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 11, 2021
India's Test squad for the 2nd Test: Virat Kohli (C), Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (VC), KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant (wk), Wriddhiman Saha (wk), R Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Md. Siraj, Shardul Thakur.
Standby players: K S Bharat, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shahbaz Nadeem, Rahul Chahar, Priyank Panchal
[PTI and BCCI input]
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