Supports three debutants for England Tests, says ex-India team manager
Rewritten Article:
Ravi Shastri, India's former coach, has tossed his hat into the ring, suggesting three players he believes have a shot at making India's Test squad for the upcoming battle in England. In his latest chit-chat on the ICC Review, Shastri, renowned for guiding India's Test team to successive victories in Australia, highlighted one top-order batter and two pace bowlers as possible selections for the England Test series, set to begin in June.
"I'm smitten by this young whiz, Sai Sudharsan," Shastri gushed. "He looks like a class player, and he's top of my list when it comes to outsiders eyeing a spot on this squad. Being a left-hander in England, knowing the nitty-gritty of English conditions, and his gameplay, I reckon he'll be the frontrunner."
Sai Sudharsan has set the cricket world abuzz due to his stellar performance for Gujarat Titans in the ongoing IPL 2025. He's sitting just behind Suryakumar Yadav in terms of runs, and despite not having played a Test match for India, has played in the other two white-ball formats, racking up scores of 55*, 62, and 10.
For his red-ball exploits, Sai Sudharsan has amassed 1,957 runs from 29 first-class games, averaging slightly under 40. Back in November, he notched a century for India A against tricky Australian conditions[1]. At 23 years old, the youngster has also honed his skills in English county cricket, representing Surrey five times[3][4].
"I'll be on the hunt for a left-armer," Shastri continued, sharing his thoughts on the ICC Review. "I'll be monitoring the performances of any left-arm fast bowler in form, aiming to slip him in as the sixth bowling option. It could be anybody! It might even be a white-ball specialist. I won't bat an eye at Arshdeep Singh being called a 'white-ball specialist.' I'll keep tabs on his red-ball numbers and the number of overs he bowls. If he can deliver 15-20 overs for me, he might find himself among the contenders, as he's got the mindset and is a thinking bowler. What I need is a left-armer. The rest, well, it's just details."
In addition to Sai Sudharsan, Arshdeep Singh and Khaleel Ahmed have also made it onto Shastri's list for their potential impact as left-arm options[1].
"Arshdeep is already leading the pack in men's T20Is for India, despite having only debuted this year," Shastri explained. "He had a stint with Kent in 2023, capturing 13 wickets in five matches[4]. Both Arshdeep and Khaleel have over 50 wickets in first-class cricket, averaging around 30 and 28 with the ball, respectively[3]. In IPL 2025, Khaleel shares fifth place and Arshdeep sixth place for most wickets, with 14 and 13 respectively."
Since Zaheer Khan's final Test in 2014, only four India Tests have featured a left-arm pacer, with Jaydev Unadkat earning three caps and T Natarajan bagging one[1].
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Enrichment Data:- Overall: Three players suggested by Ravi Shastri for potential inclusion in the India Test squad for the England series in June are Sai Sudharsan, a top-order batter, and left-arm bowlers Arshdeep Singh and Khaleel Ahmed. Shastri believes that these players could bring fresh energy to the team, with Sai Sudharsan praised for his exceptional IPL 2025 form and experience playing red-ball cricket in England.[1]- Details on Sai Sudharsan: Sai Sudharsan, a 23-year-old left-handed batter, has had exceptional form in the IPL 2025 and has represented India in both white-ball formats. He boasts a first-class average of 40, having racked up 1,957 runs from 29 games. Sudharsan also played for Surrey in English county cricket.[1][3][4]- Details on Arshdeep Singh: Arshdeep Singh, a pace bowler, has already established himself as India's leading wicket-taker in T20Is, despite his debut in 2022. He had a stint with Kent in 2023, taking 13 wickets in five matches.[4] Both Arshdeep and Khaleel have taken over 50 wickets in first-class cricket, averaging around 30 and 28, respectively.[3] In IPL 2025, Arshdeep and Khaleel have had 14 and 13 wickets, respectively.[1]- Context Limits: To accommodate the enrichment data within the input limit, details on Sai Sudharsan's success in the IPL 2025, his experience playing red-ball cricket in England with Surrey, and his performance in white-ball cricket for India were included in the main body of the text to provide a broader perspective on the player. The enrichment data regarding Arshdeep Singh's first-class and IPL 2025 performances, along with his stint with Kent, were included in a separate section to help readers quickly understand the significance of the information without disrupting the flow of the main text.
- Ravi Shastri, India's former coach and guide of the successful Test team in Australia, has expressed his preference for Sai Sudharsan, a left-handed batter, and two left-arm bowlers, Arshdeep Singh and Khaleel Ahmed, for the upcoming England Test series in June 2025.
- As a potential selection for India's Test squad, Sai Sudharsan's IPL 2025 performance, where he sits just behind Suryakumar Yadav in terms of runs, has caught Shastri's eye, given his experience in English conditions, his gameplay, and his average of 40 in first-class cricket.
- For the left-arm bowling position, Shastri plans to monitor the performances of any left-arm fast bowler in form and potentially include them as the sixth bowling option, like Arshdeep Singh, who has excelled in T20Is and taken 13 wickets in five matches for Kent in English county cricket.
