B Sai Sudharsan is set to become the rookie face in the Test squad along with T20 specialist left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh.
Fans and experts questioned the logic behind repeatedly including Easwaran in squads without ever giving him a real opportunity
In India's first innings, only Yashasvi Jaiswal (58 off 97 balls) and Washington Sundar (48 off 92 balls) could contribute substantially as the home team suffered a batting collapse after starting the day at 9 for no loss.
India lost their openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and K L Rahul on a green top but did well to reach 72 for two at lunch on Day 1 of the series-deciding fifth Test against England at The Oval, London, on Thursday.
As Team India gear up for the much-anticipated Test series against England starting on Friday, several players in the squad will draw confidence from their county cricket experience.
India wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel, who played in the fifth and final Test at The Oval against England in their last assignment, has been named Iyer's deputy.
K L Rahul made a solid 74 before retiring hurt as India remained on course to chase a formidable 412-run target set by Australia A on day three of the second unofficial Test in Lucknow on Thursday.
From shining in age-group and league cricket in Chennai to a breakout season in Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) before being fast-tracked into the state white-ball teams, things have moved rather swiftly for B Sai Sudharsan as he broke into the IPL.
'Rishabh Pant is not fit for West Indies series, hopefully he will be available for home Tests against South Africa.'
'Growing up as a small kid like everybody I also dreamt of playing for the country.'
How India's players enjoyed their time in Wednesday's training session.
A controversial catch sparked debate across commentators and spectators alike.
'But I think if you look at a rebuilding sort of phase, I think India can cope with it better than most other teams'
Calm was the need of the hour and the batters understood that to the T. They converted the singles into twos, scored the odd boundary every over and played no false shots.
Former New Zealand player Ian Smith put down the Shubman Gill-led India's recent red ball struggles at home to their diminishing ability against spin.
For the first time in many years, India are going into a home Test match as underdogs and not favourites. Ask any player worth his salt and he would tell that it is not a happy place to be.
Shubman Gill's remarkable 84, achieved despite an ankle injury, propelled Gujarat Titans to a dominant victory over Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, complemented by Rashid Khan's stellar bowling.
The Indian squad, which is expected to comprise 16 members, will be one of the trickiest ones in recent times as there is a debate around who the new captain should be.
Little-known ambidextrous Bengal spinner Kaushik Maity seamlessly doubled up for both roles during the optional practice session.
Fresh from a hard-fought 2-2 draw in England, Shubman Gill's men will be eager to translate their overseas resilience into home dominance.
His talent has always been unquestionable but what has stood out for young Gujarat Titans southpaw Sai Sudharsan in this IPL is his impressive game awareness and decision making, traits he picked up during his maiden India stint in South Africa last year.
England captain Ben Stokes broke his own record for the most overs bowled by himself during a Test series.
Team India touched down in Manchester on Sunday ahead of the must-win fourth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy
Openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and K L Rahul perished early as India fumbled in the chase of a mammoth 549-run target on Day 4 of the second Test.
There is a school of thought that having done the hard yards in the England series, Karun Nair deserves an opportunity against a weaker opposition where a century could boost his career.
Sai Sudharsan's classy fifty combined with a collective bowling effort powered Gujarat Titans to a commanding 58-run win over Rajasthan Royals.
The last time two specialist keepers played together in a Test was in 1986, when Kiran More and Chandrakant Pandit featured in the same XI, with Pandit playing as a batter.
Shubman Gill might just want to be fit enough to bat, as even a half-fit skipper is seen as more effective than Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran or Sarfaraz Khan.
India roared back into contention on an exhilarating day two of the fifth and final Test at The Oval on Friday as their seamers restricted England to a 23-run lead.
Team India wasted no time in getting their preparations underway as they kicked off their first training session at Lord's a few hours after their arrival in London on Saturday.
England gained the upper hand after a rain-hit first day of the final Test against India at The Oval on Thursday
Images from the IPL match between Punjab Kings and Gujarat Titans in Mullanpur on Sunday.
But in their pursuit of glory, both leaders must find a way to address the issues at hand.
The three players will travel back home to India with the rest of the T20 World Cup winning squad.
Rishabh Pant was ruled out for nearly three months after he fractured his foot during the fourth Test against England in Manchester in July.
India finished Day 3 on 90/2 to lead England by 96 runs at stumps in the opening Test on Sunday after England were dismissed for 465 in the first innings.
'I definitely believe the kind of form he is in, the way he is batting, it will strengthen the Indian batting line-up.'
India have long curated home tracks that accentuate turn, but the assumption their own batters would master such conditions no longer appears safe following their defeat in the opening Test against South Africa.
The home side, chasing a 2-0 series sweep, reduced West Indies to 140-4 with left-armer Jadeja (3-37) leading the way.
In a format often dominated by innovation and brute force, Gujarat Titans' Subhman Gill and Sai Sudharsan once again reminded the fans that proper cricketing shots still thrive in the hustle of modern T20 cricket.
