India’s 15-man squad for the two-Test home series against West Indies was announced on Thursday by team head selector Ajit Agarkar. The series will begin on October 2 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, with the second Test scheduled at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on October 10.
Veteran batter Karun Nair was notably dropped from the squad. Speaking about the decision, Agarkar explained that the 33-year-old had not lived up to expectations during India’s recent tour of England. Nair managed just a single half-century in four Test outings, leaving the selectors disappointed.
“Frankly, we expected a little bit more,”Ajit Agarkar said. “He’s played four Tests, but we’ve spoken about just one innings. It is the way it is. We feel we needed a little bit more at this point. We wish we could give everyone 15 or 20 Tests, but it doesn’t work that way,” he added.
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Shubman Gill will lead the Indian side, with star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja named as his deputy in the absence of Rishabh Pant. The squad also includes promising talents like Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal.
Ajit Agarkar highlighted Padikkal’s recent performances, noting, “Padikkal has been in the Test squad against Australia and played in Dharamshala, where he scored a fifty. He has also been in decent form with India A.”
The Indian team will now focus on preparing for the series, aiming to continue their winning momentum at home. With a blend of experienced campaigners and emerging talent, India will look to assert dominance over the West Indies in both matches, setting the tone for the upcoming international fixtures.
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Team India Squad For West Indies Series: Shubman Gill (captain), Ravindra Jadeja (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, Narayan Jagadeeshan
