Dubai, Sept 25 (UNI) India’s Test squad for the two-match home series against the West Indies, starting October 2 at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, has been officially announced.
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar today confirmed that Karun Nair and Abhimanyu Easwaran have been dropped, while Devdutt Padikkal returns to the side. Ravindra Jadeja has been named vice-captain in the absence of Rishabh Pant, who continues to recover from a fractured foot.
Shubman Gill will lead the team in his first home series as captain, with Dhruv Jurel expected to take over as India’s first-choice wicketkeeper. N Jagadeesan joins as the second designated keeper, while Nitish Kumar Reddy returns after missing the England tour due to injury.
Agarkar underlined Reddy’s potential, stating, “He showed promise under pressure and gives flexibility, which is valuable in a series like this.” Sai Sudharsan, too, has been given an extended run at the crucial No.3 spot, reflecting the selectors’ faith in continuity and talent development.
Despite concerns about workload, pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has been included in the squad. Agarkar said, “Normally, his discussions are with physios, trainers, and the coach. We want him to do well, he’s a terrific performer, but the team comes first.”
The squad also features a settled top order of Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, and Sai Sudharsan, with Padikkal and Reddy providing additional options in the middle order. The spin department includes Jadeja, Washington Sundar, and Kuldeep Yadav, while the pace attack is led by Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Prasidh Krishna.
Agarkar addressed the exclusion of Nair and Easwaran: “We expected more from Karun Nair. It can’t be just one innings. Padikkal offers more. We would like to give 15-20 chances to everyone, but it is not possible in these circumstances.”
Rishabh Pant remains unavailable for the West Indies series, with Agarkar hopeful of his return for the home Tests against South Africa. Shreyas Iyer has taken a six-month break from red-ball cricket to recover from back issues and therefore was not considered for selection. Ishan Kishan also missed out, with Agarkar saying, “Ishan will have to play a bit more cricket and show some performances.”
On India’s standing in the World Test Championship (WTC), Agarkar highlighted the importance of consistency: “Having earned 28 out of 60 points for five Tests, we are third in the WTC table. After the loss to New Zealand, we don’t want to experiment as every point counts.”
Full India squad for West Indies Tests:
Shubman Gill (c), Ravindra Jadeja (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), N Jagadeesan (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.
The first Test begins on October 2 in Ahmedabad, followed by the second Test from October 10–14 in New Delhi. With India aiming to consolidate their WTC position and the West Indies seeking a breakthrough in India, the series promises competitive cricket and intense scrutiny over team selections.
