Tags: India tour of West Indies 2023,
India,
West Indies
Published on: Jun 23, 2023
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Friday, June 23 named the Team India’s Test and ODI squads for the tour of West Indies, which begins on July 12. There are significant changes in the Test team as India look forward to building a pool for the 2023-25 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.
No. 3 batter Cheteshwar Pujara has been dropped, paying the price for his lean run. Umesh Yadav, who struggled in the WTC final against Australia at The Oval, also finds himself out of the team. Fast bowler Navdeep Saini has been handed a comeback in place of Yadav.
Meanwhile, Ajinkya Rahane has not only retained his place after starring in the WTC final, but has also been reappointed as the vice-captain of the team. Young batters Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad as well as pacer Mukesh Kumar have earned their maiden call-up to the Test team. Veteran pacer Mohammed Shami has been rested, while KS Bharat retains his place as the keeper-batter, so does Ishan Kishan as the back-up gloveman.
India’s Test squad for West Indies tour: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane (vc), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Yashasvi Jaiswal, KS Bharat (wk), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, Ishan Kishan (wk), Navdeep Saini
Looking at India’s ODI squad for the three-match series, the comeback of Sanju Samson is the biggest news. With KL Rahul still unfit and Rishabh Pant in recovery mode after his car crash in December last year, Samson and Kishan are the two keeper-batters in the one-day team.
Gaikwad has also been picked in the ODI team along with Kumar. While Rohit Sharma remains captain, all-rounder Hardik Pandya will be his deputy. The selectors have kept their faith in Suryakumar Yadav despite him registering three golden ducks against Australia. Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohammed Siraj and Umran Malik form the crux of the bowling unit, with Shami being rested for the one-dayers as well.
India’s ODI squad for West Indies: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya (vice-capt), Shardul Thakur, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohammed Siraj, Umran Malik, Mukesh Kumar.
–By A Cricket Correspondent
