Mohammed Shami returns

The biggest news from the squad announcement was the return of fast bowler Mohammed Shami. He hasn't played international cricket since the ODI World Cup in 2023, but has consistently been one of the star attractions during the ongoing domestic season.

Shami's last T20I was also against England – in the T20 World Cup semi-final in 2022, where he went for 39 runs in three wicketless overs. On the road to recovery, he has played one Ranji Trophy match, nine Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy games and three Vijay Hazare Trophy matches so far, with his body steadily making its way back to full fitness.

Read more: How has Mohammed Shami fared for Bengal since his return from injury?

This series is likely to determine what condition Shami will be in for the Champions Trophy, which starts next month. A fit Shami would add another dimension to India's 50-over attack, especially now that Jasprit Bumrah's participation remains in doubt due to the back injury he picked up in Australia.

Axar Patel named vice-captain ahead of Hardik Pandya

In an interesting turn of events, India named all-rounder Axar Patel as the deputy to Suryakumar Yadav. This is the latest development in a revolving door of vice-captaincy in the T20I setup.

Hardik Pandya was vice-captain for the T20 World Cup, but did not take over as skipper once Rohit Sharma made way, as that post went to Surya. For the tour of Sri Lanka after that, Shubman Gill was named vice-captain before nobody was officially named vice-captain for the home series against Bangladesh and tour of South Africa.

Axar's appointment now means Pandya will not have held any formal leadership position in India's T20 setup since the World Cup. For now, he remains skipper of the Mumbai Indians in the IPL where he will captain Surya (India's T20I captain), Rohit Sharma (India's Test and ODI captain) and Jasprit Bumrah (India's Test vice-captain). In the recently-concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Pandya had played for Baroda under the captaincy of his elder brother Krunal.

Make of this merry-go-round what you will, but if the position is in such flux it begs the question as to why one needs to be named at all.

Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill rested...but do they make India's first XI?

There was no room for Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill in the squad, the pair most likely being rested ahead of the Champions Trophy, after a taxing Test tour of Australia. Sanju Samson retained the keeping gloves, while Dhruv Jurel was named as the backup. Samson and Abhishek Sharma were the only opening batters named in the squad, suggesting there could yet be space for Gill to squeeze in once he returns.

But do either one of these players make a full-strength Indian team?

Gill's scoring rate has come under the scanner somewhat in his last two T20I series against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. With the form that both Samson and Abhishek have shown since then, and Yashasvi Jaiswal in the wings, it could be argued India have enough high-impact options at the top of the order without Gill.

Samson could also be the reason Rishabh Pant finds it hard to return. Pant had a more than solid IPL season and T20 World Cup, but with Samson as a premium batter and able keeper, and Dhruv Jurel potentially capable of taking up a middle-order role, India's batting lineup could be packed even without him. It could prompt the decision-makers to informally limit Pant to just Test and ODI cricket.

Can Abhishek Sharma run Yashasvi Jaiswal close for the opener's spot?

One feels this could be a crucial series for Abhishek Sharma. After a barnstorming IPL season, he's shown flashes of brilliance, but not sustained dominance at the top of the order in an India shirt. Right now, you'd have to say Yashasvi Jaiswal walks in ahead of him.

Also read: Fastest to 4000 women's ODI runs: Smriti Mandhana moves into third place on all-time list

It's a rare five-match series that awaits Abhishek against England. With no other openers named in the squad besides him and Sanju Samson, it's a golden chance for him to really push Jaiswal hard to be India's first-choice.

A T20I career strike rate of nearly 172 is handy work, but it's quite likely India's team management would want the big scores to be more consistent, and the average to be a lot closer to 30 than the 23.3 it is now.

Mayank Yadav still not back, Harshit Rana could debut

India's newest speedster, Mayank Yadav, had an impressive outing in the last home series against Bangladesh, before missing the South Africa tour with injury. He didn't play domestic cricket, hasn't returned to India's squad, and hasn't been named among Delhi's probables for the Ranji Trophy second phase which begins on January 23.

He's still young, but despite the promise, Mayank runs the risk of simply fading out of the public's – and more pertinently, the selectors' – eyes.

Fellow speedster Harshit Rana had been in line to debut against Bangladesh in October, but missed out due to a viral infection, prompting widespread speculation that he had been denied a spot by new head coach Gautam Gambhir so that Gambhir's previous employers, Kolkata Knight Riders, could retain him as an uncapped player for IPL 2025.

Rana did play for India in Test cricket in Australia, taking part the matches in Perth and Adelaide. That white-ball debut could come in this series, just delayed by three months.

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