Team India will begin its first competitive cricket series in over a month as they take the field in the Caribbean. The two-time Test championship finalists will begin their 2023-25 cycle with a two-match series against the West Indies and will hope to come back unscathed as the Rohit Sharma-led side flicks the transition switch beginning Wednesday, July 12. Team India saw a significant number of changes in the Test squad not just looking at the form of the few players after the WTC final 2023 but with also an eye on the future.
Cheteshwar Pujara and Umesh Yadav were sidelined and Suryakumar Yadav was shown the door as well with the BCCI picking the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Navdeep Saini and Mukesh Kumar for the upcoming two-match series. Since it's only a short series of two weeks, not all players will get an opportunity and hence, here's a look at three players, who might have to warm the bench for both series:
1. Ruturaj Gaikwad
Despite having a first-class average of 42.19, Ruturaj Gaikwad was picked in the Test squad ahead of several deserving candidates because of his ability to play pace bowling and tackle the pressure of big stage. Gaikwad was picked in the squad as a backup top-order player, who could be tried both as an opener or at No. 3 in Pujara's absence. But with Yashasvi Jaiswal ahead of him in the pecking order and Shubman Gill a certainty in the playing XI, Gaikwad might have to wait for his chance.
2. Axar Patel
Axar Patel has been a revelation with both bat and ball in the last 12 months across formats. Considered as Ravindra Jadeja's backup for most of his career, Patel has started to show his quality in much bigger way as he was the best batter for his side in the Border-Gavaskar series as well as in the IPL for Delhi Capitals. However, with Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin certain to start in the playing XI and Shardul Thakur likely to play as the bowling ll-rounder, Patel might not get an opportunity in these two matches.
3. Navdeep Saini
Navdeep Saini, who made his debut during the historic Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2020-21 has made a return to the Test side on the back of good performances for India A and the way he swung the ball in a couple of matches in the IPL for Rajasthan Royals. But with Mohammed Siraj, Jaydev Unadkat and Mukesh Kumar ahead of him in the pecking order and with Shardul as the third seamer, Saini might have to wait a little more to feature in the playing XI again.
