The BCCI, on Friday (June 23), announced India’s ODI squad for the upcoming tour of West Indies. India are scheduled to play 3 ODIs, 2 Tests and 5 T20Is against the Caribbean outfit.
The tour will start with the Test series before both the teams lock horns against each other in the ODIs. Ruturaj Gaikwad has been rewarded for his impressive display in IPL 2023 with a place in the ODI team. The right-handed batsman scored 590 runs and played a key role in Chennai Super Kings’ triumphant campaign.
Ruturaj has played only one ODI so far which came against South Africa in October last year. Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill will be the designated openers while Ruturaj is likely in the squad as a backup opener. The middle-order will have the services of Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya and one between Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson.
With Rishabh Pant as well as KL Rahul sidelined, Samson and Kishan have been picked as the wicketkeepers. Senior pacer Mohammed Shami has been rested for the series while Mukesh Kumar has earned his maiden call-up after impressing in domestic circuit and IPL.
He will have the company of Jaydev Unadkat, Mohammed Siraj, Umran Malik and Shardul Thakur in the pace bowling department. In the spin department, the onus will be on Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal to deliver. The ODI series is scheduled to be played from July 27.
India ODI squad for West Indies tour:
Rohit Sharma (Capt), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Surya Kumar Yadav, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya (VC), Shardul Thakur, R Jadeja, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohd. Siraj, Umran Malik, Mukesh Kumar.
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