India Squad WI Tour is announced and there is a shake-up. The selectors have axed Cheteshwar Pujara following dismal WTC Final. Instead, Ajinkya Rahane, who recently made a comeback, will be Rohit Sharma’s deputy in IND vs WI. Among other changes, Mohammad Shami has been rested with Mukesh Kumar getting the call-up. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal have also been added to the squad. But there is no place for Umesh Yadav.
BCCI Selection Committee met on Thursday to pick the squad.
However, selectors have stuck to their guns and there is no place for Sarfaraz Khan. The Mumbaikar has once again been ignored in favour of Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
“Rohit is fit and available for selection. He will have a good break. So, there is no workload management concern either. He will lead in the West Indies series,” a senior BCCI official told InsideSport.
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There have been speculations about whether Rohit Sharma will take some time off from Test cricket. His poor run of form has been the main point of concern. But with World Cup 2023 just months away, the Windies series could be the platform where he returns to form.
However, despite failing in IPL and the WTC Final, Rohit’s stats say otherwise. In ODIs, he has averaged 49.27 in the last 12 months. He has a century and four fifties in 13 innings. He has also managed a strike rate of 111.52. In Tests, he averages 37.5 in just 5 matches he has played. Hence, it is too early to criticise his form as per the official.
“Yes, he hasn’t got many runs in IPL and the WTC Final. But he has done decently in the last few months. He got a century in Nagpur against Australia. He is taking care of his fitness. It’s harsh on him to be criticised based on form,” the official added.
India Squad WI Tour:
As for the squad, Rohit will lead in Tests and ODIs. Rohit and Virat will continue to be absent from the T20s. Hardik Pandya will lead a new-look T20 team with IPL performers getting a call-up. However, T20 squad will be announced at a later date.
- In Tests, there is no place for Sarfaraz Khan. Mukesh Kumar, Yashasvi Jaiswal & Ruturaj Gaikwad.
- Mohammad Shami has been rested from Tests and ODIs both with Mukesh Kumar, Navdeep Saini and Jaydev Unadkat will join Mohammed Siraj in pace attack.
- But it’s Ishan Kishan who is all set to make his Test debut.
- Ishan is at the NCA undergoing strength conditioning with KS Bharat set to warm the bench after failing to impress with the bat.
India ODI Squad: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Surya Kumar Yadav, Sanju Samson (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Shardul Thakur, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohd. Siraj, Umran Malik, Mukesh Kumar.
India Test Squad: Rohit Sharma (Capt), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ajinkya Rahane (VC), KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, Navdeep Saini.
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