Page 50 - The Indian EYE 051421

SPORTS MAY 14, 2021 | The Indian Eye 50

also was not picked as it seems tion of his side before the UK
he is still some time away from tour, Wagner said: “But having
bowling full throttle. A notably had those little bit of trainings
miss also is pacer Bhuvnesh- leading into it has been quite
war Kumar. While he did play beneficial, just because it’s a lit-
the Indian Premier League, he tle bit different, and obviously
hasn’t found a place in the Test adapting to it. It’s been really
team. good preparation and every-
“The All-India Senior Se- body is excited bowling with it.”
lection Committee has picked The first Test between En-
the Indian squad for the inau- gland and New Zealand will
gural ICC World Test Cham- be played at Lord’s. Talking
pionship (WTC) final and the about playing at the Mecca
five-match Test series against of Cricket, Wagner said: “The
England,” the BCCI said in an nice thing is that the nerves
official statement. new Zealand is not an easy team to beat and the unknowns are away,
Team India’s first stop will I’ve played at Lord’s couple
be in Southampton where they of times now. I’ve played one
play New Zealand to decide Test there in 2013 and a cou-
the first champion of the Test ple of county games too, so it’s
format. Following their 3-1 win nice to get there when things
against England at home, In- feel familiar.”
dia finished as the No. 1 side Kiwi players and support
with 72.2 percentage points and staff were transferred from
booked their place in the final. London Heathrow airport to
The selection committee the Ageas Bowl in Southamp-
has picked 20 players (two sub- ton where they will be based for
ject to fitness clearance) and the first two weeks of the tour.
four standby players as both
the WTC final and five-match ‘recover As FAst As YoU
Test series against England will BoWl’: rr to Archer
be played in a bio-secure envi- Bhuvneshwar Kumar Indian Premier League
ronment due to the COVID-19 (IPL) franchise Rajasthan Roy-
pandemic. enGlAnd tests not (UK time). als on Monday wished a speedy
The BCCI named a WArM-UPs For Wtc: “We’re not going to treat recovery to England pacer Jofra
20-member squad (two subject WAGner these two Test matches against Archer in a quirky manner.
to fitness clearance) which will New Zealand pacer Neil England just as warm-ups for Archer, who had returned to
also have four standby players. Wagner on Monday said that the WTC final. I know for a fact action for Sussex in the County
Of the four standby players, the upcoming two Test matches we’re going to get out there and Championship against Kent last
three are fast bowlers -- Prasidh against England would not be pride ourselves the way we’ve week at Hove, only bowled five
Krishna, Avesh Khan, Arzan a warm-up for the World Test been playing Test cricket and overs. He was suffering from
Nagwaswalla. Prasidh tested Championship (WTC) final we want to win Test matches for pain in his right elbow when
COVID-19 positive the day af- against India. New Zealand,” ESPNcricinfo bowling and as a result, he was
ter the squad was announced England and New Zea- quoted Wagner as saying. unable to bowl in the final two
but he is expected to be fit in land are set to lock horns in “It’s been quite nice, it’s ob- days of the match. England and
time for the departure. two Tests, beginning June 2. viously got different character- Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on
The majority of the Kiwi Test istics to the Kookaburra. The Sunday then confirmed that Ar-
india’s sQuad:
contingent touched down in way we’ve been training for cher has been ruled out of the
Rohit Sharma, Shubman London on Sunday afternoon the last while is something we upcoming two-match Test series
Gill, Mayank Agarwal, Chetesh- (UK time) after flying from didn’t always have in the past, against New Zealand.
war Pujara, Virat Kohli (Cap- Auckland via Singapore. Tim having the facilities and hav- Archer, who is one of the
tain), Ajinkya Rahane (vice-cap- Southee, BJ Watling, Ross ing a marquee up and getting fastest bowlers in the present
tain), Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Taylor, and Wagner departed a number of trainings in before era, had also missed the IPL
Pant (wicket-keeper), R. Ashwin, from Auckland on Monday af- going to England. On tours in 2021 before the tournament
Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, ternoon (NZ time) to join the the past you rock up there and was ruled out.
Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bum- squad in Southampton. The you’ve only got a couple of Rajasthan Royals on Mon-
rah, Ishant Sharma, Mohd. Sha- Maldives-based IPL contin- trainings and maybe one head day shared a picture of Archer
mi, Md. Siraj, Shardul Thakur, gent of captain Kane William- out with the Dukes ball before along with a heartwarming wish
Umesh Yadav, KL Rahul (subject son, Kyle Jamieson, Mitchell the first Test and with that you for the England pacer.
to fitness clearance), Wriddhiman Santner, team physio Tommy can find yourself a little bit be- “Recover as fast as you
Saha (wicket-keeper; subject to fit- Simsek and trainer Chris Don- hind,” he added. bowl,” Rajasthan Royals
ness clearance). aldson will arrive on Monday Talking about the prepara- tweeted.

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