IND vs AUS: Cheteshwar Pujara on the brink of India comeback for Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is likely to announce the India squad for the upcoming five-match Test series against Australia on Monday, October 28. Cheteshwar Pujara, who performed exceptionally well on previous tours of Australia, could be a surprising selection for the team.

India is currently taking on New Zealand in the three-match Test series at home. The Men in Blue lost the first Test match at the Bengaluru stadium. They aim to win the remaining two matches and maintain their record of winning 17 Test series in a row at home to be in the race for the WTC 2025 final.

Team India will tour Australia for the five-match Test series, with the first match set to be played in Perth on November 22. However, Rohit Sharma is expected to miss the first Test in Perth for personal reasons. Jasprit Bumrah, who was recently named as vice-captain, is the frontrunner to lead the team.

Cheteshwar Pujara to Be Included in India's Squad for BGT 2024-25?

Cheteshwar Pujara might be a surprising inclusion in the upcoming squad announcement following his impressive performance in the Ranji Trophy 2024-25. He scored 234 runs in a Ranji Trophy match against Chhattisgarh. The 36-year-old could be picked by the selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar.

Pujara was the leading run-scorer in the 2018-19 series, amassing 521 runs at an impressive average of 74.43 with three centuries and one half-century. He was named Player of the Series for his heroics. Pujara scored 271 runs in the subsequent 2020-21 series, where India won by a margin of 2-1.

Cheteshwar Pujara has not been part of the Test team for more than a year, with his last appearance being in the 2023 World Test Championship final against Australia. The right-handed batter scored only 14 runs in the first innings and 27 runs in the second of the final match at The Oval in June 2023.

Cheteshwar Pujara's Record in Australia in Test Matches

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Be Groomed by BCCI as All-Rounder

As per the PTI report, Nitish Kumar Reddy will not be selected for the T20I series in South Africa. He has been included in the India A squad and will be groomed by the BCCI as a seam-bowling all-rounder. Shardul Thakur, who played a crucial role in the Gabba win, could be a choice for the all-rounder role.

Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Akash Deep are likely to secure their spots in the Test squad. Avesh Khan and Yash Dayal are also in consideration. Mohammed Shami has said that he is pain-free, but he may not be completely fit for the beginning of the series, which starts in Perth on November 22.

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