The BCCI, on Friday (June 23), announced Team India’s Test squad for the upcoming tour of West Indies. India are scheduled to play two are scheduled to play 2 Tests, 3 ODIs and 5 T20Is against West Indies.
The Test series will kickoff India’s upcoming tour of the Caribbeans. The Test series will also start the third World Test Championship cycle for both the teams. The first Test will be played between July 12 and 16 in Dominica while the second Test is scheduled to be played between July 20-24 in Trinidad. The Test series will be followed by the ODIs before the T20Is get underway.
India Test squad announced:
Rohit Sharma will continue to lead the Test side. There were rumours that the selectors might opt for a new captain following the loss in the WTC final earlier this month. There are also several new faces in the squad. The selectors have given maiden call-ups to Ruturaj Gaikwad, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Mukesh Kumar.
Jaiswal was part of India’s WTC squad as a backup player but has earned his maiden call-up now. Meanwhile, veteran batsman Cheteshwar Pujara has been dropped from the Test team after his poor form in Tests continued in the WTC final where he registered scores of 14 and 27.
In another development, Ajinkya Rahane has been reappointed as the vice-captain. The veteran batsman returned to the Test team with an impressive display in the WTC final. Meanwhile, Mohammed Shami has been rested for the Test series while Navdeep Saini has been recalled. Saini has not played a Test since the game in Brisbane against Australia in January 2021.
India Test squad for West Indies series:
Rohit Sharma (Capt), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ajinkya Rahane (VC), KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, Navdeep Saini.