India’s selectors have named the squad for the tour of West Indies, which will see the team play three T20s, three ODIs and two Tests in the Caribbean.
The panel has decided to not rest Virat Kohli for the tour and he will continue to captain the squad in all three formats. Star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has been rested for the T20I and ODI leg of the tour and will join the team later for the Test matches.
Hardik Pandya is being rested for the entire series.
Fast bowler Navdeep Saini, who made quite an impression during the Indian Premier League, has been called up instead.
As suggested in many reports, Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s name does not feature in the squads.
“He’s unavailable for this series but we had certain roadmaps and plans till WC. Subsequently, we’ve laid down a few more plans & thought of giving as many opportunities to Pant and to see he is groomed. This is our plan right now,” said MSK Prasad in the press conference.
Prasad added: “Rishabh Pant has not done anything wrong for his non-inclusion. We know he’s the only wicketkeeper to get a 100 in England and then in Australia. Pant will play in all formats, we have to manage his workload.”
India’s squad for 3 T20Is: Kohli (Captain), Rohit Sharma (VC), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant (WK), Krunal Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Rahul Chahar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed, Deepak Chahar, Navdeep Saini.
India’s squad for 3 ODIs: Virat Kohli (Captain), Rohit Sharma (VC), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kedar Jadhav, Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed, Navdeep Saini.
India’s squad for Tests: Virat Kohli (Captain), Ajinkya Rahane (VC), Mayank Agarwal, KL Rahul, C Pujara, Hanuma Vihari, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant (WK) Wriddhiman Saha (WK), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav.
More to follow...