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In what is seen as a significant step toward India's Test future, promising openers Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal have been named in the India A squad ahead of their crucial four-day matches against the England Lions. The first of the two matches will be played on May 30, followed by the second on June 6.
Jaiswal, along with rising star Nitish Kumar Reddy, will be part of the squad for both matches, while Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan will join the team for the second game only, owing to their IPL commitments. Sudharsan, who is in sublime form in the IPL with 509 runs in 11 games for Gujarat Titans, will reunite with his IPL skipper Gill in the India A camp.
The selection of Gill, widely tipped to be India’s next Test captain following Rohit Sharma’s retirement, marks a major development in India’s transition plan. Team India is scheduled to begin their five-match Test series against England on June 20. The same India A side will also play a warm-up match against the senior England team from June 13 to 16, making this group’s performance critical for future selection.
The India A squad is packed with experience and emerging talent. Sarfaraz Khan, who had a memorable Test debut series against England last year, is back in the mix. The pace department will be led by Harshit Rana and Akash Deep, both of whom were part of the senior Indian side earlier this year. Another notable inclusion is Karun Nair, who has played six Tests for India and famously scored an unbeaten 303 against England in 2016.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Ishan Kishan, who has been in and out of the national setup, also features in the squad. The team will be led by Abhimanyu Easwaran, with Dhruv Jurel serving as vice-captain and one of the wicketkeeping options.
This star-studded India A squad will serve as a vital testing ground for India’s bench strength, especially in light of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s recent retirement from the Test format. With Gautam Gambhir as the head coach, the upcoming 5 match Test Series England series is poised to be a major challenge for the next generation of Indian cricketers.
As India prepares for life without its veteran campaigners, these matches offer an opportunity for emerging players to solidify their place in the red-ball setup.
India A Squad:
Abhimanyu Easwaran (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Karun Nair, Dhruv Jurel (VC, WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shardul Thakur, Ishan Kishan (WK), Manav Suthar, Tanush Kotian, Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep, Harshit Rana, Anshul Kamboj, Khaleel Ahmed, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sarfaraz Khan, Tushar Deshpande, Harsh Dubey.
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Paul Skenes' recent struggles open door for Phillies aces in NL Cy Young race
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Shohei Ohtani named in lawsuit regarding $240M real estate project
Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani has been named in a lawsuit that was filed in Hawaii on Friday. Ohtani and his agent, Nez Balelo, are being sued by a real estate investor and a broker in Hawaii who have accused Ohtani and Balelo of sabotaging a $240M real estate deal for a development on the Big Island. According to court documents that were obtained by Jimmy Golen of The Associated Press, real estate developer Kevin J. Hayes Sr. and real estate broker Tomoko Matsumoto say Ohtani and Balelo deliberately had them removed from the project “for no reason other than their own financial self-interest.” The lawsuit claims Ohtani was brought into the deal for his promotional value and that he and his agent pushed the founders of the project out using “threats and baseless legal claims.” “Defendants must be held accountable for their actions, not shielded by fame or behind-the-scenes agents acting with impunity,” the lawsuit states. “Plaintiffs bring this suit to expose Defendants’ misconduct and to ensure that the rules of contract, fair dealing, and accountability apply equally to all — celebrity or not.” Hayes and Matsumoto have also accused Ohtani and Balelo of trying to push them out of a similar neighboring development project. The $240M Big Island development is located along Hapuna Beach, which is rated one of the top beaches in the world. Matsumoto was supposed to be the listing agent for the properties, which average more than $17.3M each. A brochure for the project stated that Ohtani, who was called “Japan’s Babe Ruth” has committed to buying one of the 14 properties and acting as a “celebrity spokesperson” for the development. Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700M contract with the Dodgers prior to the 2024 season. The two-way star is having another monster year with a .284 average, 42 home runs, 78 RBI and a 1.013 OPS entering Tuesday. Ohtani has also returned to pitching this season and has a 2.37 ERA across 19 innings. Ohtani was also connected to a massive gambling scandal last year, though Major League Baseball determined that the 31-year-old was not guilty of any wrongdoing.
King of New York: Pete Alonso breaks major Mets all-time record
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Landon Dickerson injury update: Timeline for Eagles OL return revealed after surgery
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