Roseau: Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma has confirmed that 21-year-old left-hander Yashasvi Jaiswal will be his new opening partner in the first Test of the two-match series against the West Indies, set to begin in Dominica on Wednesday. This decision marks the start of a new opening combination for India in the first Test of the ICC World Test Championship 2023-2025 cycle.
Jaiswal, who had an impressive year of white-ball cricket, including a successful stint in the 2023 IPL, where he scored 625 runs at an average of 48 and a strike rate of 163.61, will now make his Test debut. His strong performances in first-class cricket, with an average of over 80 in his first 26 innings, further justified his inclusion in the Test squad. Jaiswal also showcased his ability in red-ball cricket by scoring 265 runs in the second innings of the Duleep Trophy Final last year.
With the absence of Cheteshwar Pujara in the squad, Rohit Sharma confirmed that his current opening partner, Shubman Gill, will move down to the number three position. Gill expressed his desire to play at number three, a position where he has played most of his cricket. This decision will provide the team with a left-right opening combination, which Rohit believes will be beneficial for the team.
Rohit Sharma stated, “We will try this, and hopefully, it will work out for a long time. We have been looking for a left-hander for many years, and now that we have got one, let’s hope he performs well for the team and makes that spot his own.”
Vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane also praised Jaiswal’s talent and expressed his happiness for the young cricketer. Rahane encouraged Jaiswal to express himself and play with freedom, emphasising the importance of staying true to his natural game.
In addition to the opening combination change, Rohit Sharma confirmed that India would field two spinners in the opening Test. While he did not specifically name them, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin are expected to fill the two spinner slots. Axar Patel, who is part of the squad, could serve as the second spinner if required.
The Indian Test squad for the series against the West Indies comprises Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), KS Bharat (wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, and Navdeep Saini.
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