Image Source: CricInformer
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has revealed the Test squad for the upcoming two-match series against West Indies. Following their loss in the World Test Championship Final, India has made significant alterations to their Test lineup. Cheteshwar Pujara, Mohammed Shami, and Umesh Yadav, who struggled in the final, have been excluded from the team. On the other hand, promising youngsters Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal have earned their first-ever Test call-ups.
India expected significant changes after their decisive defeat in the WTC final against Australia. In light of his underwhelming performance, Pujara has been omitted from the squad. Additionally, senior pacers Shami and Umesh failed to secure spots in the 16-member Test squad.
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Mukesh Kumar have received their maiden Test squad selections for India’s tour of the West Indies. However, experienced batsman Cheteshwar Pujara has been dropped from the squad, and fast bowler Mohammed Shami has been given a rest. Navdeep Saini has also made a comeback to the team, replacing Umesh Yadav.
With Pujara’s exclusion, India will have a new No. 3 batsman for the series, unless they decide to move Shubman Gill down the order. Yashasvi Jaiswal or Ruturaj Gaikwad could potentially fill Pujara’s spot in the team for India’s first series in the 2024-2025 World Test Championship cycle.
Ajinkya Rahane, who was India’s top scorer in the World Test Championship final, has retained his place in the squad and has been appointed as the vice-captain. The remainder of the squad, led by Rohit Sharma, consists of most of the players who were selected for the final.
While Jaiswal and Mukesh are yet to make their international debuts, Gaikwad has featured in ten limited-overs internationals, with his most recent appearance being an ODI against South Africa in October of the previous year.
Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul, and Shreyas Iyer are currently in the process of recovering from surgery for various injuries. Additionally, Rishabh Pant, who was involved in a car crash last December, is undergoing rehabilitation. As a result, KS Bharat and Ishan Kishan have been chosen as the wicketkeepers for India’s tour of the Caribbean. Since Pant’s injury, KS Bharat has played in all five Tests but has struggled with the bat.
The spin-bowling department is backed up by Axar Patel, who provides support to R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. Jaydev Unadkat, who has been a part of the Test squad since the tour of Bangladesh in December, has also been retained. Unadkat is the only left-arm seamer in the fast bowling group, which also includes Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Navdeep Saini, and Mukesh Kumar.
India will commence their tour of the West Indies with the first Test in Dominica on July 12, followed by the second Test starting on July 20 at Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain. In their previous Test series in the Caribbean in 2019, India emerged victorious with a 2-0 win.
