England, India Announce Squads for Test Series

England's Test summer will start with Ben Stokes returning after hamstring surgery, though he is not expected to bowl, and England's pace attack is weakened by injuries to several key bowlers. England will first play Zimbabwe in their first English Test in 22 years, followed by a five-Test series against India that will launch India's 2025-27 World Test Championship campaign. The BCCI has shortlisted 35 players for both the main India Test squad and the 'A' team, with Rohit Sharma expected to remain captain despite speculation about his leadership. Selectors are looking for a reliable middle-order batter, with Karun Nair and Rajat Patidar as leading options while Sarfaraz Khan, Shreyas Iyer, and Axar Patel remain under consideration. Kuldeep Yadav is being considered to lead the spin attack following R Ashwin's retirement, and there are concerns about Mohammed Siraj's consistency among the pace bowlers. The dual-squad approach is intended to build bench strength and adapt to English conditions.