Ravindra Jadeja is set to return to India. Having been out of action since the first India-New Zealand Test in Kanpur in late November 2021, the all-rounder will be in action against Sri Lanka. Almost certainly, he will be included in the squad for the two-Test series that follow, but if all goes well, he may also play the three Twenty20 Internationals that precede the two-Test series.
Jadeja, who was recovering at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bangalore until recently, has already arrived in Lucknow, where the first of three Twenty20 games will be played on February 24. According to reports, he is being quarantined in a Lucknow hotel. Currently, he is undergoing Covid tests and may be selected for the Twenty20 squad if he returns negative.
Jasprit Bumrah is also expected to make a comeback along with Jadeja. Despite different reasons, Jadeja and Bumrah were both left out of the white-ball series against West Indies. Bumrah, Shami, and Jadeja had been rested for the West Indies series, according to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Jadeja is in his final stage of recovery following knee surgery and will not be available for the ODIs and T20Is (vs West Indies).
Besides Jadeja’s return, the most curious part of the squad, which will be announced in a few days, is the selection of a captain for the Test series. Since Virat Kohli resigned after the three-match series against South Africa, the position has been vacant. Rohit Sharma is most likely to be given the position, making him the skipper for all formats.
