Vaibhav Tripathi
Cheteshwar Pujara and Umesh Yadav have been left out of the India squad for the upcoming two-match Test series against the West Indies to be played in July. Meanwhile, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mukesh Kumar and Ruturaj Gaikwad have earned call-ups to the squad. Pace bowler Navdeep Saini has also returned to the Test set-up, with Mohammed Shami getting rested.
Pujara, who made his Test debut way back in 2010, has amassed only 951 runs in his last 18 Tests at an average of just over 30. He scored 14 and 27 in the just-concluded WTC final against Australia. Meanwhile, his long-time Indian colleague, Ajinkya Rahane, has been named the vice-captain. The middle-order bat cracked a vital hand of 89 in the WTC final.
Jaiswal, who was the stand-by player for the WTC final, amassed 1169 runs during the 2022-23 Ranji season. He was also in impressive form in the just-concluded IPL 2023. On the other hand, Gaikwad has played in nine T20Is and one ODI for his country. He has also notched up close to 2000 runs in first-class cricket. Among the pace bowlers who have found a place in the squad, Saini has taken four wickets in two Tests, while Mukesh snaffled 40 wickets at just over 20 during the 2022-23 Ranji season.
India have also picked the side for the ODI series. Rohit Sharma will continue as the captain, leading a talented squad that includes Shubman Gill, Gaikwad, and Suryakumar Yadav. Hardik Pandya will serve as the vice-captain, while Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan are the wicketkeepers.
The bowling department will have the likes of Shardul Thakur, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohammed Siraj and Axar Patel. Washington Sundar, who was part of the ODI squad for the series against Australia, has been left out.
The first and second Tests of the series will be played on July 12 and 20. The ODI series begins on July 27.
India’s Test squad: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, Navdeep Saini.
India’s ODI squad: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Surya Kumar Yadav, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Shardul Thakur, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohd. Siraj, Umran Malik, Mukesh Kumar.