As India prepares for a highly anticipated five-match Test series against England at home in early 2025, the BCCI is strategically assembling a 35-member squad pool to address depth and form issues across formats. The initiative is part of a broader vision under the ICC World Test Championship cycle and aims to blend experience with emerging talent.
Rohit Sharma likely to lead despite leadership transition talk
Amid growing chatter about India’s future captaincy, Rohit Sharma is expected to retain the Test captaincy for the England series. According to sources, internal BCCI discussions emphasize the need for experience at the helm during a challenging and lengthy home series.
“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,” a BCCI source told Tribune.
While Rohit remains pivotal in the short term, concerns persist over India’s long-term leadership roadmap. A recent internal review highlighted the board’s unease: “The BCCI is worried India is not ready to move on from Rohit Sharma’s captaincy.”
India ‘A’ team to shadow main squad during England series
The selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, is working on a 35-player pool that includes both Test regulars and India ‘A’ candidates. The shadow team will support the main squad and help develop red-ball specialists in parallel.
This early groundwork is aimed at addressing bench strength and injury contingency while providing valuable exposure to emerging players.
Middle-order spots up for grabs; Karun, Patidar in focus
Karun Nair and Rajat Patidar are leading contenders for middle-order roles in either squad, especially given the inconsistency of incumbent options. The BCCI is still undecided on Shreyas Iyer’s red-ball future, with his Test exclusion last year weighing against him.
“Nair and Patidar are seasoned red-ball players and are in fine form… A final call is yet to be taken,” a BCCI official said.
Meanwhile, Sarfaraz Khan appears to have lost favor with team management. “The team management has shown very little confidence in Sarfaraz Khan’s ability,” noted the source.
Sai Sudharsan emerging as key top-order backup
In the opening department, selectors are focused on succession planning. Sai Sudharsan is being tipped as the third opener, behind Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
“It is also learnt that Sai Sudharshan is considered to be the third opener for the series,” the source added.
This development reinforces the BCCI’s intent to build robust depth in key positions for both home and overseas Test campaigns.
Final squad announcement expected by mid-May
The Agarkar-led panel will finalize the 15–18 player core squad along with the India ‘A’ contingent by the second week of May. The decisions are expected to shape not just the England series, but also influence India’s WTC Final qualification ambitions and future red-ball strategy.
