The selectors have finalized India’s 15-man squad for the upcoming two-Test series against the West Indies. In a significant move, star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has been appointed as the new vice-captain. As anticipated, batsman Karun Nair, who has struggled to maintain consistency, did not make the cut. Young batting talent Devdutt Padikkal, however, has earned a spot in the team.
Another notable exclusion is Abhimanyu Easwaran, whose prolonged wait for an international debut continues. Despite being part of squads for series against Australia and England, he remained on the bench.
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar addressed the media in Dubai, explaining the rationale behind some decisions. “Unfortunately, we can’t offer every player 15-20 Test matches. We had higher expectations from Karun during the England Test series,” Agarkar stated.
Regarding Easwaran’s exclusion, Agarkar clarified, “We don’t currently require a third opener for our home conditions.”
India’s Full Test Squad for West Indies Series:
Shubman Gill (Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja (Vice-Captain), Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, N Jagadeesan, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav.
This series signifies the beginning of India’s home schedule under the leadership of their new Test captain, Shubman Gill. Gill previously guided the team to an impressive 2-2 draw in the away series against England. This two-match encounter also kicks off India’s journey in the 2025-2027 World Test Championship cycle.
The first Test match against the West Indies is set to commence on October 2 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The action will then shift to New Delhi for the second Test, scheduled to begin on October 10 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Meanwhile, the West Indies squad, led by Roston Chase, was expected to arrive in Ahmedabad on September 24 for a preparatory training camp before the opening Test.
For the West Indies, this series is their second challenge in the current ICC World Test Championship cycle, following their home encounters against Australia earlier in June-July. A key addition to their side is 33-year-old left-arm spinner Khary Pierre, who receives his first Test call-up after an outstanding performance in the last West Indies Championship, where he claimed 41 wickets at an impressive average of 13.56. Also included in the squad is Tagenarine Chanderpaul, the son of the legendary West Indian batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul.
The squad selection meeting was held online, as chief selector Ajit Agarkar was in the UAE for the Asia Cup. This also marked the final selection meeting for committee members S. Sharath and Subroto Banerjee, who were replaced by former cricketers Pragyan Ojha (South Zone) and R.P. Singh (Central Zone) at the BCCI AGM on September 28.