The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will unveil India’s squad for the upcoming two-match Test series against the West Indies on September 23 or 24. The selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, is unlikely to rest pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah despite a spin-dominant lineup suited for home conditions.
India, led by Shubman Gill, is set to take on Roston Chase’s West Indies in the two-match Test series at home. This series is part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, and points are crucial for both teams. The first Test will be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad before moving to Delhi.
India aims to gain WTC Points in the First Home Series
India drew their recent Test series 2-2 in England and now have the opportunity to strengthen their World Test Championship (WTC) points tally during the upcoming home series against the West Indies.
The Shubman Gill-led team could boost their chances of reaching the WTC final. India will play only two away Tests in the SENA countries, against New Zealand. Notably, this will be the first home series for India after the retirements of Ravichandran Ashwin, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma.
With spin-friendly pitches expected, India are likely to adopt a spin-heavy strategy while balancing the side with all-rounders and a dependable top order to maximize their chances of victory. The team will look to bounce back after losing its last home series to New Zealand.
Jasprit Bumrah Unlikely to Be Rested for West Indies Series
According to a report by Cricbuzz, India are likely to pick Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Prasidh Krishna as their pace trio for the series. Bumrah’s availability will depend on his Asia Cup workload, but he is currently expected to feature in both matches.
“The three pacers will be Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna. Bumrah’s participation will be dependent on how the Asia Cup pans out but at this stage, he is expected to play both the Tests against West Indies,” the report read.
Jasprit Bumrah played just three of five Tests in their England series. Following the West Indies Tests, India are set to tour Australia for a white-ball series in October-November. They will next play an all-format home series against South Africa. The team has a busy schedule ahead of the T20 World Cup.
Rishabh Pant Ruled Out of Home Tests vs West Indies
Shubman Gill will captain India for the home series, with key players like KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Ravindra Jadeja, and Kuldeep Yadav included in the squad. Rishabh Pant is doubtful due to a toe injury sustained in England, and Dhruv Jurel is likely to keep the stumps.
Karun Nair, who struggled to make an impact in England, could be omitted. N Jagadeesan, who was called for the fifth Test against England, is expected to retain his place. Akash Deep has not fully recovered, and Nitish Reddy may be considered the 15th member.
India’s Likely 15-Member Squad: Shubman Gill (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Nitish Reddy and N Jagadeesan.