The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) today announced the squad for the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia at the Oval in June.

BCCI has recalled middle-order batsman Ajinkya Rahane for the test match.

Former vice-captain Rahane played the last of his 82 tests in January 2022 but has been in impressive form in the ongoing Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament.

India also reached the final of the inaugural WTC in June 2021 but lost by eight wickets to New Zealand in a rain-hit contest in Southampton.

Along with Rahane, there are a few more surprise inclusions as well. KS Bharat and Jaydev Unadkar have been included in the squad after featuring in recent Test matches for India.

Bharat will replace of Rishabh Pant who continues to recover after suffering an injury in a car accident.

India squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, KL Rahul, KS Bharat (wicketkeeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj

Australia has already announced their squad for the WTC final. David Warner has been included in Australia’s 17-player touring party for the ICC World Test Championship final against India at The Oval and the opening two Ashes Tests.

Pat Cummins will return to play the captain’s role for the squad after leaving the tour of India early and sitting out the third and fourth Tests to be with his sick mother in Australia.

The 17 players selected in the touring party will be available for selection in the WTC final against India and the opening two Ashes Tests at Edgbaston and Lord’s.

Selectors will evaluate the makeup of the squad after the second Ashes Test with the option to make changes for the remaining matches against England at Headingley, Old Trafford and The Oval.

A 15-player squad for the ICC World Test Championship is final and will be named on May 28.

Australia’s World Test Championship Final and Ashes squad: Pat Cummins (C), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Todd Murphy, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith (VC), Mitchell Starc and David Warner.

(With agency Inputs)