India has revealed their Test and ODI squads for the upcoming tour of West Indies, making a significant decision by dropping some big names from the team and giving some youngsters a go
India has unveiled its squads for the upcoming two-match Test series and three-match ODI series against West Indies, scheduled to take place in July and August.
The Test series holds immense significance as it marks the commencement of the World Test Championship 2023-25 for both India and West Indies. The ODI series is crucial for India as they gear up for the upcoming Cricket World Cup later this year.
Following the disappointment of their loss in the World Test Championship final against Australia at the Oval, India has made some notable decisions by introducing fresh faces into the Test setup. Veteran batsman Cheteshwar Pujara has been excluded from the squad, making way for uncapped batters Yashaswi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad.
Jaiswal and Gaikwad had exceptional seasons in the Indian Premier League (IPL), opening the batting for Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings, respectively. Pacers Mukesh Kumar and Navdeep Saini have also been included in the squad, while Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav have been left out. Ajinkya Rahane has been appointed as the vice-captain, supporting Rohit Sharma who continues to lead the team. Jasprit Bumrah remains absent due to his ongoing recovery from a back injury.
The ODI squad mainly consists of regular players, with Gaikwad earning a place in the white-ball format as well. Sanju Samson has also been recalled, while KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant are sidelined due to injuries.
In the pace department, Mukesh Kumar retains his spot in the limited-overs squad, joined by Jaydev Unadkat and Mohammed Siraj. Umran Malik completes the fast bowling options. India has included four spinners in the ODI squad, namely Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel.
Rohit Sharma will lead the ODI team, with Hardik Pandya appointed as the vice captain.
The Test series will kick off on July 12 in Dominica and conclude on July 24 in Trinidad. The three-match ODI series will follow, taking place from July 27 to August 1.
Team India is yet to announce the squad for the T20I series, it will be interesting to see if some senior players are rested.
