Cheteshwar Pujara sneaks in at the last moment for India tour of England 2025

After the retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, there have been discussions about bringing Cheteshwar Pujara back into the Test squad for the upcoming England series. However, the selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar is not expected to include Pujara, according to a recent report by Cricbuzz.

Following the conclusion of the IPL 2025 season, India will play the highly anticipated Test series against England, which is scheduled to begin on June 20 at Leeds. The BCCI has the challenging task of finalizing the squad for this important series after the retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.

Cheteshwar Pujara to Return for England Test Series?

The selection committee is set to announce India’s Test squad and appoint a new captain by May 24. There have been some discussions about bringing back Cheteshwar Pujara to strengthen the squad in the absence of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

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However, the BCCI and team management are unlikely to include him in the squad. The selectors and management are focused on building for the future and are “in no mood to look back.” Pujara’s time with the Indian Test team is probably over, as the team moves forward with younger talent.

Cheteshwar Pujara remains active in domestic cricket. He scored a century and a double hundred for Saurashtra in the recent Ranji Trophy. He last played in the County Championships for Sussex in May 2024. Pujara has not played a single match in the WTC 2023-25 WTC cycle.

Selectors and Team Management in No Mood to Pick Cheteshwar Pujara

The reports also added that the selectors might pick young players like Devdutt Padikkal or Sarfaraz Khan.

"There was some chatter that the selectors should look at Cheteshwar Pujara (37) for a place in view of the absence of seniors like Rohit and Kohli. But the impression one gets is that the selectors and team management are in no mood to look back," the report read.

Sai Sudharsan could receive his first-ever Test call-up. Karun Nair is also in consideration for a comeback, following his outstanding performances during the recent domestic season with Vidarbha.

India to Begin New World Test Championship Cycle with England Series

India will begin a new World Test Championship cycle with the England series. Shubman Gill has emerged as the frontrunner to take over the Test captaincy. Jasprit Bumrah was named vice-captain during the Australia tour. However, he is unlikely to get the chance due to workload management.

Meanwhile, Rishabh Pant is expected to play a key role in the transition phase. KL Rahul is likely to bring experience to the batting lineup, helping to fill the void left by Rohit and Kohli.

With R. Ashwin also stepping away from Test cricket, Ravindra Jadeja is set to lead the spin department. The selectors must now decide whether to go with two or three spinners in English conditions. Washington Sundar could be preferred over Kuldeep Yadav.

Also read: Jasprit Bumrah ordered to take up Test captaincy in a last-minute switch; Gambhir receives specific Shubman Gill order