After the worst downfall in the World Test Championship final, the management of team India has decided to brush up the cricketers and their test skills again against the West Indies this running year. The BCCI, on Friday, announced Indian squads for the West Indies tour, where the Indian team will be playing Tests, One-Day-Internationals, and T-20 International series, starting from 12th July. Young guns like Ruturaj Gaikwad, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and pacer Mukesh Kumar have been added to the upcoming Test side for the first time, while senior players like Mohammed Shami and Cheteshwar Pujara have been dropped.
BCCI said in a release, “The Men’s Selection Committee has picked India’s squad for the upcoming two-match Test series and three ODIs against the West Indies. India is also scheduled to play five T20Is, and the squad for the same will be announced later.”
Pujara gets out of the list:
The veteran Indian Test cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara has been driven out as the BCCI’s selection committee announced the Indian squad for the next 2-match Test series and 3 One day matches against the West Indies cricket team.
Pujara being a veteran in the team, has played over 100 Test matches but got a drop out by the board. The reason might be the poor run rate, as the 35-year-old batter scored only 211 runs in his last 6 matches with a single half-century. The selectors seem unsatisfied with his performance and cannot let him in for the next few series. They think a rest period might heal Pujara’s bad time.
Young touch in the squad:
Youngsters Yashasvi and Gaikwad enlisted their names in the Indian squad for the upcoming Test battle with West Indies. On the other hand, pace bowler Mukesh Kumar also received an offer to join the squad for the said series. Jashasvi Jaiswal scored the fastest IPL half-century in just 13 balls this season. He scored a total of 625 runs at a strike rate of 163 during this 2-month tournament to finish among the top five run-makers. The cricketer from Mumbai has an average of 80.21 in fifteen matches with nine centuries and a highest of 265 runs.
Ruturaj Gaikwad was selected for the first time as a backup opener for the World Test Championship final; only to be replaced by Jaiswal due to his wedding. However, he has also found a place in the 16-player squad for the two-match Test series at Windsor Park, Dominica. Ruturaj Gaikwad finished with 590 runs. Gaikwad even also made headlines last November, smashing 6 sixes in an over in a first-class match for his home team Maharastra.
Along with Pujara, senior seamer Umesh Yadav was also dropped from the Test side; while seamer Navdeep Saini made a comeback. Saini’s career had been in a free-fall since the notable tour of Australia; also receives a chance for resurrection as his hit-the-deck bowling might be effective on the slow West Indian pitches.
Shami takes a rest:
Mohammed Shami was grunted a break from both ODIs and Tests. Jaydev Unadkat, Shardul Thakur and Ajinkya Rahane held on to their places in the Indian squad for Tests; and so did spin-bowling all-rounder Axar Patel. Surprisingly, Rahane, who was not even in the scene for about 15 months; was appointed as the vice-captain of the Test side following his successful WTC final match; where he finished up as India’s top run-getter riding on the 89-run knock in his first innings.
Indian Squads:
ODI Squad: Rohit Sharma, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Hardik Pandya; Virat Kohli, Sanju Samson, Surya Kumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Jaydev Unadkat; Yuzvendra Shardul Thakur, Umran Malik, Chahal, R Jadeja, Mohd. Siraj, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mukesh Kumar.
Test Squad: Rohit Sharma, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli; Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ajinkya Rahane, KS Bharat, R Jadeja, Ishan Kishan, R Ashwin, Shardul Thakur; Mohd. Siraj, Axar Patel, Jaydev Unadkat, Navdeep Saini, Mukesh Kumar.
Conclusion:
However, the ODI Indian squad had no major surprises, with seventeen members picking themselves. The injured Bumrah, Shreyas Iyer, and KL Rahul, when fit, also select themselves and together; these 20 cricketers will likely make the core group going into the big World Cup. Rohit Sharma will continue leading the team in Tests and ODI matches; while the Indian squad for the five T-20s will be declared later. This time the squad and the management are confident with the better performances of the selected players. For the cricketers, it is a chance to keep their consistency to a newer level
