The lanky Indian pacer Ishant Sharma, who is nursing an injury and even the premier off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who is undergoing rehabilitation at the NCA for a groin injury will undergo a fitness test on Saturday before the selectors take a final call on their availability for the upcoming two-match Test series against the West Indies starting October 4.

Talking about the same, a senior BCCI official said, “Ashwin is already doing his rehabilitation at the NCA for a groin injury. Even Ishant is expected to join him there. As of now, there is a fitness test scheduled on Saturday, September 29. The selectors may announce the team a day earlier if NCA physios and trainers rule the duo out even before fitness tests.”

National selector MSK Prasad and his colleague Devang Gandhi met at a Delhi hotel on Wednesday to draw up an initial list for the Test series after the scheduled selection meeting was canceled. BCCI acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary had issued a notice that the Test squad for West Indies series was expected to announce on Wednesday but the meeting was later canceled.

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Describing the same, the official said, “It was scheduled earlier but the five selectors’ itinerary was clashing as one (Sarandeep Singh) is in Dubai while two others (Jatin Paranjpe and Gagan Khoda) are watching Hazare Trophy at different venues. So it was decided that this will be an informal meeting where the selectors will take a stock of the situation.”

In case Ashwin is ruled out, team management’s preferred choice is Yuzvendra Chahal, who still needs a lot of games to be ready for Test cricket, India A coach Rahul Dravid had said a few days back.

A source close to the team management said that the West Indies can be a good launch pad in Test cricket for Chahal and a good performance will enhance his case for his selection for Australia tour. However, if Ashwin is declared fit, Chahal’s chances will demean further.