The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced a Test and ODI squad for the upcoming West Indies tour on Friday, June 23. The star batter Cheteshwar Pujara and experienced pacer Umesh Yadav are not part of India's Test squad after poor outings in the World Test Championship final 2023.
As expected, youngsters Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturraj Gaikwad are included in India's Test team for the first time after a string of impressive performances in the domestic circuit. While Jaiswal averages around 80 in 26 innings in first class cricket, Ruturaj's technique has impressed selectors and also averages 42 in red-ball cricket.
With Pujara, who scored 14 and 27 in WTC Final, left out of the squad, it is very much likely that Jaiswal or Gaikwad will be batting at number three. In the bowling department, Mukesh Kumar has replaced Umesh Yadav while Navdeep Saini has also been included as Mohammed Shami is rested to manage his workload.
Saini is making a comeback after more than two years having last played for India in the historic Test match at the Gabba against Australia in January 2021. Rest of the team that played the WTC Final remains the same with selectors deciding to give a long rope to KS Bharat despite his low returns with the bat in five Test matches he has played so far including the WTC Final.
India Test squad for West Indies tour: 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.
