India’s wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant will be absent from the test series against the West Indies next month due to his ongoing recovery from a foot injury. All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja will step in as vice-captain, according to the country’s cricket board announcement on Thursday.
Pant has been sidelined since fracturing his foot in a test match against England in September. Dhruv Jurel, one of the two specialist wicketkeepers named in India’s 15-member squad, will handle wicketkeeping duties against the West Indies.
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar stated in Dubai that Jadeja was the clear choice for vice-captain following Pant’s unavailability. “He brings vast experience. I’m unsure about Pant’s recovery timeline, but we hope he’ll return for the South Africa series,” he said.
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Under Shubman Gill’s leadership, India has bolstered their squad with spin options, including all-rounders Jadeja, Washington Sundar, and Axar Patel, in addition to left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav.
Batters like Karun Nair and seamer Akash Deep, who participated in the test series in England, have been excluded.
The pace attack includes Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna, joining Jasprit Bumrah, along with all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy.
Bumrah, who played three of the five tests in England to manage his workload, is currently part of the Indian team defending their Asia Cup title. Agarkar mentioned that the right-arm pacer is expected to play both tests against the West Indies.
“We’ve had a substantial break post-England. He didn’t play the fifth test, resulting in a five-week hiatus,” Agarkar noted.
“Even the Asia Cup has been well-paced until the final week. So he’s prepared and eager to participate in both test matches.”
The first test kicks off on October 2 in Ahmedabad, followed by the second and final match in Delhi starting October 10.
India’s test squad: Shubman Gill (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, B Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, N Jagadeesan (wicketkeeper)
