“I was in the squad, in the reserves, for the [2020-21] England Tests too, and that was a great learning experience for me, just being there, spending time in the dressing room, watching everyone. I enjoyed my time there – how they prepare, just watching Virat Kohli‘s intensity at training was an education. There were things I hadn’t seen before – for example, Rohit Sharma saw the pitch and focused on his sweep shot, [R] Ashwin did the same… they were so clear about their plans. And though he isn’t in the main squad of 20 for the tour of England – plus the World Test Championship final against New Zealand – he wants to be as prepared as possible, because “you never know, just in case an opportunity comes up”
I suspect, much like with Karun Nair in England in 2018, the team management has a difference of opinion with the selectors over the choice of Abhimanyu Easwaran as the reserve opener. Three openers, and another who has opened in the past, is more than teams normally have
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) July 7, 2021