New Delhi, May 19: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the Indian cricket team for three ODIs and a Test match against Afghanistan on Tuesday. Mohammed Shami’s return to the Test squad has been delayed once again. Veteran all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel have not been included in the Test team. Instead, Manav Suthar and Harsh Dubey have been given the opportunity.
Ajit Agarkar, the chief selector of the Indian cricket team, stated that the decision was made to provide young players with a chance for the future. Jadeja has been a regular member of the Indian Test team for the past decade and has been a significant match-winner. His absence from the Test squad is surprising. Patel also contributes balance in both bowling and batting. Suthar and Dubey have been selected to fill their spots. Dubey is also part of the ODI team.
Both Suthar and Dubey have impressive first-class records, which led to their selection for the lone Test against Afghanistan.
Manav Suthar, 23, plays domestic cricket for Rajasthan. He has taken 129 wickets in 29 first-class matches, achieving the milestone of five wickets in an innings six times. In 48 innings, he has scored 945 runs, including one century and six half-centuries, while remaining not out 11 times.
Suthar is currently playing for Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026, where he has taken two wickets in three innings across four matches, with limited opportunities to bat.
Harsh Dubey, also 23, plays for Vidarbha in domestic cricket. He has claimed 133 wickets in 27 first-class matches, taking five wickets in an innings nine times. He has scored 1,026 runs, including nine half-centuries, in 44 innings.
Dubey has also been selected for the ODI team. In 30 List A matches, he has taken 31 wickets and scored 296 runs in 17 innings. In IPL 2026, he has taken eight wickets in eight matches for Sunrisers Hyderabad.
The selection of Suthar and Dubey for the Test team indicates that the selectors view them as potential replacements for Patel and Jadeja.
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