Credit: BCCI
Amid the ongoing action of IPL 2025, the reports are coming that the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) has shortlisted 35 players that will be split between India A and the main senior team for the upcoming tour to England. As reported by Times of India, Rohit Sharma is set to return as captain in the five-match Test series in England starting on June 20.
Apart from that, Karun Nair is also in contention to be picked for the England Tests along with Rajat Patidar as BCCI looks for a stable batter in the middle-order. Notably, both the players are likely to play in the India A matches which will start a week after the end of IPL 2025.
The team management has shown very little confidence in Sarfaraz Khan’s ability: BCCI source
Notably, as per the TOI report, the Indian team management isn’t confident in trusting Sarfaraz Khan’s abilities which made them to go for other options like Karun Nair or Rajat Patidar. Both Nair and Patidar have shown great form in India's recently ended domestic season in red-ball cricket.
“Rohit is most likely to travel as the board feels that one needs a strong captain through the series, which is likely to be as tough as the Australia tour. With regard to the middle-order, the team management has shown very little confidence in Sarfaraz Khan’s ability. Nair and Patidar are seasoned red-ball players and are in fine form. It is likely at least one of them will be in the India ‘A’ team. As for Iyer, he was dropped last year based on his poor returns in Test cricket. A final call is yet to be be taken,” a BCCI source was quoted as saying by Times of India.
