Mumbai: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) made an exciting announcement on Friday, revealing the squads for the upcoming West Indies tour. The Indian team is scheduled to play two Tests, three One-Day Internationals (ODIs), and a five-match T20 International series, set to commence on July 12. In a surprising move, several young talents have been given an opportunity, with Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Mukesh Kumar earning their maiden Test call-ups.
Yashasvi Jaiswal, known for his explosive batting style, has been rewarded for his consistent performances in domestic cricket. The 20-year-old left-handed opener has been a standout performer in various age-group tournaments and the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he scored the fastest fifty in 13 balls and scored 625 runs in the last IPL season. Ruturaj Gaikwad, another exciting batting prospect, has also impressed with his run-scoring abilities. He scored 590 runs in 14 matches in the IPL for the Chennai Super Kings. Both Jaiswal and Gaikwad will be looking to make a mark in the Test format.
Pacer Mukesh Kumar’s inclusion in the Test squad comes as a testament to his consistent performances in domestic cricket. The 27-year-old has been a potent force with the ball, and his ability to generate pace and swing could add an extra dimension to the Indian bowling attack.
Pujara, who has played in more than 500 Test matches, lost his groove after a bad stretch of form that saw the 35-year-old score only 211 runs in his past six games and record one half-century.
Ajinkya Rahane, who recently made a successful comeback in the World Test Championship final, has been named the vice-captain of the Test team. His experience and leadership qualities will provide valuable support to captain Rohit Sharma. Additionally, Navdeep Saini, known for his raw pace, has also made a return to the squad, adding more firepower to the bowling unit.
In the ODI squad, young talents like Sanju Samson and Jaydev Unadkat have been included, indicating the team’s emphasis on nurturing promising players for the future. Rohit Sharma will lead the ODI side, with Hardik Pandya serving as vice-captain.
Test squad of team India: Rohith Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kholi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ajinkya Rahane (VC), K S Bharath (WK), Ishan KIshan (WK), R Aswin, R JAdeja , Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, Navdeep Saini.
ODI squad: Rohith Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Ruturah Gaikwad, Virat Kholi, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson (WK), Ishan Kishan (WK), Hardik Pandya (VC),Shardul Thakur, R Jadeja, Axar patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohammed Siraj, Umran Malik, Mukesh Kumar.
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