Veteran batter Cheteshwar Pujara will not be part of the Shubman Gill-led Indian team for the upcoming five-match Test series against England, starting June 20. Once again, the 37-year-old was overlooked by the selectors, who instead picked the likes of Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair as potential replacements for Virat Kohli, who retired from the format earlier this month. Pujara, who last played for India during the World Test Championship (WTC) final in 2023, was recently quizzed whether he received a call from India head coach Gautam Gambhir for the upcoming Test series in England.

“No, not yet,” Pujara said during an interview with Lallantop.

However, Pujara said he is available to play for India if given an opportunity.

“I am ready. I don’t know if they will take me or not. But if I get a chance, yes, it will be an honour to represent the country again. As a cricketer, you always feel that as long as you are fit, as long as you are contributing, and if I have a good performance in domestic cricket, and I am preparing well, if I get a chance, yes, I will be more than happy to be part of the team,” he added.

The month of June not only marks the beginning of India’s new ICC World Test Championship cycle (2025-27), but also signals the dawn of a new chapter in Indian cricket. With Gill at the helm, a young Indian side will face a stern challenge in England, known for its testing conditions and formidable home record.

Gill’s leadership will be closely watched as he attempts to guide a fresh-faced team in the absence of some of India’s most experienced Test campaigners.

India squad for England tour: Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc, wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudarshan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.

(With ANI Inputs)