India National Cricket Team vs West Indies National Cricket Team Match: India’s middle-order batter Karun Nair has been left out of the 15-player Test squad for the upcoming series against West Indies. The decision follows his poor performance in the recent England tour. Devdutt Padikkal replaces him in the squad. BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar explained Karun Nair’s exclusion, saying the team expected more from him and that selectors want to give all players a chance. “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,” Agarkar said as quoted by Indian Express.
Nair played four of the five Tests during the England tour but managed just 205 runs, including one fifty. The series marked Nair’s return to the Indian team after more than 3,000 days but ended in disappointing fashion.
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During the England tour, Nair averaged just 25.62, batting at No.3 and No.6. Padikkal recently impressed with a century on the fourth day of the unofficial Test against Australia A in Lucknow.
Jasprit Bumrah is included despite earlier speculation that he might be rested for home Tests. Rishabh Pant remains unavailable due to a fractured left foot sustained during the fourth Test against England in July. Dhruv Jurel will be India’s first-choice wicketkeeper, while N. Jagadeesan has been included as backup.
India squad for West Indies Tests: Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Nitish Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav and N Jagadeesan.
India will aim to collect full World Test Championship points after drawing their last series in England 2-2. West Indies will arrive after a heavy 0-3 defeat at home against Australia in their first WTC 2025-27 assignment.
The first Test will take place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad from October 2. The second will be held at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi starting October 10.