BCCI announces India A squad for England tour, Abhimanyu Easwaran to lead; Karun Nair makes anticipated comeback

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced a 20-member squad for the upcoming India A tour of England. Bengal opener Abhimanyu Easwaran has been appointed as captain, leading a team that includes several seasoned cricketers. Notably, Yashasvi Jaiswal, who emerged as India’s leading run-scorer in the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy, is included in the squad and will be available for the first unofficial Test following the conclusion of the Rajasthan Royals' final league match in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Veteran players Karun Nair and Shardul Thakur have also secured their places in the squad, having demonstrated exceptional performance throughout the domestic season. Both cricketers are under consideration for a spot in the national team for the forthcoming tour of England. In light of Virat Kohli's recent retirement, selectors are actively seeking a suitable candidate to fill the crucial number four batting position, and Nair is viewed as a strong contender for this role.

Karun Nair, one of only two Indian cricketers to achieve the remarkable feat of scoring a triple century in Test cricket, has been in outstanding form while representing Vidarbha in domestic competitions. His exceptional performances with the bat have set the stage for a potential return to the national Test side after nearly eight years.

Nair's last appearance in Test cricket was in 2017 against Australia in Dharamsala, and he has not been selected for the national team since the tour of England in 2018. Given his recent form, there is renewed optimism surrounding his prospects for rejoining the elite ranks of Indian cricket.

India A squad: Abhimanyu Easwaran (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Karun Nair, Dhruv Jurel (vc/wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shardul Thakur, Ishan Kishan (wk), Manav Suthar, Tanush Kotian, Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep, Harshit Rana, Anshul Kamboj, Kheleel Ahmed, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sarfaraz Khan, Tushar Deshpande, Harsh Dubey

Note: Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan will join the squad ahead of the second match.

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