The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Thursday announced a 15-member squad for the upcoming two-Test home series against West Indies, with Shubman Gill set to captain the side. Ravindra Jadeja has been named vice-captain in the absence of Rishabh Pant, who misses out due to a fractured right foot sustained during India’s tour of England.
The squad sees Karun Nair left out after a modest return to the Test side in England, where he played four matches and scored just one half-century. Despite showing composure and promise at the crease, Nair struggled to convert starts into big scores, ultimately missing out on a spot for the home series.
With Pant sidelined, Dhruv Jurel has been named the first-choice wicketkeeper, while N. Jagadeesan will serve as his deputy. Jagadeesan also provides flexibility to step in as a third specialist opener if needed. Devdutt Padikkal returns to the squad in place of Karun Nair, having previously played in India’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy campaign in Perth.
The spin department will be led by Jadeja, alongside Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, and Axar Patel, who makes a comeback after featuring in a Test during India’s home series against England in 2024. The pace attack will be spearheaded by Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah, with the latter available for both Tests.
The opening Test of the series will take place in Ahmedabad, with the second Test concluding in Delhi on October 10. This will be India’s first red-ball assignment since the 2-2 draw in England during the inaugural Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy. For Gill, who succeeded Rohit Sharma as Test captain, this home series serves as an ideal platform to lead his team before a challenging tour of South Africa in November.
India Squad for West Indies Series:
Shubman Gill (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravindra Jadeja (VC), Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, N. Jagadeesan (WK), Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav.
