Sat May 24 08:40:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing and rewriting the provided text:

**Shubman Gill to Captain India’s Test Squad Against England; Iyer Snubbed**

**New Delhi, May 25th, 2024** – India has announced its 18-member squad for the upcoming five-match Test series against England, with star batsman Shubman Gill named as the captain. Wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant will serve as his deputy.

The squad selection, revealed on Saturday, May 24th, includes the return of experienced players Karun Nair and Shardul Thakur. Young talents Sai Sudharsan and Arshdeep Singh have earned their maiden Test call-ups.

However, the announcement was not without its surprises. Shreyas Iyer, despite strong performances in white-ball cricket and aspirations to fill the No. 4 slot vacated by Virat Kohli’s retirement, was once again omitted from the Test squad.

Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar addressed Iyer’s exclusion during a press conference. “It’s true that Shreyas Iyer has performed well in domestic cricket, but currently, there is no place for him in the Test team,” Agarkar stated. Iyer last played a Test match in January 2024 and has an average of 36.86 in 14 Test matches.

Concerns surrounding Iyer’s vulnerability to short-pitched deliveries in red-ball cricket appear to have influenced the selectors’ decision. While Iyer has worked to improve his technique against short balls, it seems the selectors prefer players with a more established red-ball pedigree, especially given the challenging English conditions.

**India’s Test Squad for England:**

* Shubman Gill (Captain)
* Yashasvi Jaiswal
* KL Rahul
* Sai Sudharsan
* Rishabh Pant (Vice-Captain/Wicketkeeper)
* Nitish Kumar Reddy
* Ravindra Jadeja
* Dhruv Jurel (Wicketkeeper)
* Abhimanyu Easwaran
* Shardul Thakur
* Jasprit Bumrah
* Mohammed Siraj
* Prasidh Krishna
* Karun Nair
* Washington Sundar
* Akash Deep
* Arshdeep Singh
* Kuldeep Yadav

**India vs England Test Series Schedule:**

* 1st Test: June 20-24, 2025 – Headingley, Leeds
* 2nd Test: July 2-6, 2025 – Edgbaston, Birmingham
* 3rd Test: July 10-14, 2025 – Lord’s, London
* 4th Test: July 23-27, 2025 – Old Trafford, Manchester
* 5th Test: July 31-August 4, 2025 – The Oval, London

Read More