New Delhi: India have dropped top-order batsman Cheteshwar Pujara for the upcoming two-Test tour of West Indies in July while Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal made the cut after stellar campaigns in the Indian Premier League (IPL), a PTI report in The Tribune, says.
A veteran of over 100 Tests, Pujara was dropped following a poor form after the 35-year-old scored only 211 runs in his last six matches and a half-century to his credit.
His absence leaves a spot vacant for the likes of Gaikwad or Jaiswal to step into should Shubman Gill continue to open the batting.
Jaiswal, who scored the fastest IPL fifty in 13 balls this season, scored 625 runs during the two-month tournament to finish among the top five run getters while Gaikwad finished with 590 runs.
Gaikwad also made headlines in November when he hammered seven sixes in an over in a First-Class match for his team Maharashtra.
Rahane vice-captain
Ajinkya Rahane, India’s top scorer in the World Test Championship final loss to Australia, has also retained his place after he returned to the squad for the one-off match at The Oval in London and will be the vice-captain.
The Caribbean tour commences with the first Test on July 12-16 in Dominica. The second Test will be played in Trinidad on July 20-24.
India also announced their ODI squad for a three-match series in Barbados and Trinidad, while the squad for five T20I matches will be announced at a later date.
While Mohammed Shami has been given complete rest after nearly three months of hectic competitive cricket, Kolkata seamer Mukesh Kumar has been named in both the Test and ODI squads.
Saini back
Navdeep Saini, whose career had been in free fall since the historic tour of Australia in 2021, also gets a chance for resurrection.
English county side Worcestershire today announced the signing of Saini as their second overseas player. The 30-year-old is set to make his Worcestershire debut in Sunday’s clash against Derbyshire.
Test squad
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, Navdeep Saini.
ODI squad
Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Surya Kumar Yadav, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Shardul Thakur, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohammed Siraj, Umran Malik, Mukesh Kumar.
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