Team India. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
After getting hammered by Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) final, India will tour the Caribbean islands for two Tests, three One-Day Internationals (ODIs), and T20 Internationals (T20Is). The tournament will kick off with India clashing with the hosts at Windsor Park, Dominica. For Rohit Sharma and his men, this series will be valuable as the victories in the tournament will help them open their account on the World Test Championship (WTC) table 2023-2025.
Recently, the Test team announced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for the Windies tour saw the presence of some fresh faces along with veterans. In the competition, some newcomers might be inducted into the team’s playing XI, and if so happens, they will look to be at their best and become an integral part of the side.
Here is India’s predicted Test XI for the West Indies tour
1. Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma. (Photo Source: BCCI)
India skipper Rohit Sharma will look to have a fresh beginning after the massive defeat against the Aussies in the WTC final 2023. In the big game, Rohit failed to do big scoring 15 and 43. Amidst harsh criticism, the India captain will look to be among the runs in the upcoming series and gain some confidence.
This year, Rohit has played five games, in which he scored 300 runs with a ton in eight innings. Against the West Indies, his record is impressive as the veteran has amassed 338 runs with a couple of centuries in four innings of four Tests, with the best batting innings of 177 runs at the Eden Gardens, in Kolkata.
Rohit’s endeavours will be to play aggressive cricket in the Caribbean conditions and lead the team to a huge victory against the hosts, who will be considered underdogs in the competition in their own backyard.
2. Shubman Gill
Shubman Gill. (Photo Source: Getty Images)
Shubman Gill did an exceptional job for the Indian team in Tests in the last few years but currently, he is also facing criticism for failing in the marquee WTC final 2023 at the Oval, London. However, leaving the disappointment behind, the youngster will look to kick off India’s WTC 2023-25 campaign positively.
Against the West Indies, he will have to deliver solid numbers to the side to reinforce his position in the team as an opener. In the squad, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal are included and both players must be eyeing the opening spot in the squad. Realising the competition in the team, Gill will look to play his role efficiently.
Thus far, the 23-year-old’s performance in the longest format of the sport is stunning as he has accumulated 921 runs with a couple of centuries and four fifties in 30 innings of 16 Tests. These batting figures indicate that the right-handed opener could become a huge figure in the side.
3. Yashasvi Jaiswal
Yashasvi Jaiswal (Photo Source: Twitter)
Cheteshwar Pujara got ignored by selectors for India’s campaign against the Caribbeans. The youngster Yashasvi Jaiswal, who is in incredible form nowadays, might fill Pujara’s spot in the team, taking up the role of number three batter. In first-class cricket, Jaiswal has served Mumbai exceptionally.
The left-handed has amassed 1845 runs with nine centuries and two fifties in 26 innings of 15 first-class games. In the 2022-23 Ranji Trophy, Jaiswal displayed his excellence with the bat, scoring 315 runs with a hundred and half-century in nine innings of five games. His best innings came against Hyderabad when he powered Mumbai to an innings and 217-run win with his powerful 162-run knock.
Noting his overall numbers and consistency, the team management has shown faith in him and now he will look to utilise the chance if he gets to represent the national team in whites against the Caribbean side.
4. Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli plays a shot. (Photo Source: Twitter)
Virat Kohli is going through a difficult phase of his career. This time, his critics are creating pressure on him to quit Test cricket for his failure in the WTC final 2023 against Australia. The need for creating India’s Test squad from scratch has also given his critics a chance to raise their voices and demand Virat’s ouster from the team.
However, the veteran has overcome several challenges during his vast career, and this time as well, he will look to answer critics from his bat. In the upcoming tournament in the Caribbean islands, he will strive to take the Windies bowling unit to the cleaners and deliver heartening numbers to his team.
This year, the batting maestro scored a Test century after three years but it came in the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2022-23 on the flat track of the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. However, keeping the facts aside, Kohli will go to the West Indies with a positive approach.
5. Ajinkya Rahane
Ajinkya Rahane. (Photo Source: Twitter)
In the WTC final 2023, Ajinkya Rahane featured in India’s playing XI and made a comeback in India’s Test squad almost after one and a half years. The veteran became the highest run-scorer for the team in the marquee game against the Aussies. For exuding confidence with his bat, Rahane not only got selected for the West Indies tour but also got reinstalled as vice-captain.
BCCI’s decision of appointing Rahane as Rohit Sharma’s deputy has invited a lot of criticism from Indian team supporters. However, Rahane’s job will be to utilise his experience and skills and put up a great performance from the bat and prove the board and team management’s decision right.
Confronting the Pat Cummins-led side in the WTC final 2023 with courage, Rahane scored 89 and 46. Against the Kraigg Braithwaite-led team, Rahane will have to continue his form and help the team bag the series comfortably.
6. KS Bharat
KS Bharat. (Photo Source: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
In Rishabh Pant’s absence, BCCI assigned the task to serve the team with his bat and wicketkeeping gloves. As a wicketkeeper, he is doing his job brilliantly. In the WTC final 2023 against Australia, he looked active and agile while providing his services to the team behind the wickets.
Donning the keeping gloves, Bharat looked extremely confident but with the bat, he has struggled to be among the runs. Despite his dismal batting show, selectors have picked him up for the two-match Test series against the West Indies next month. After back-to-back failures, Bharat will have to produce decent knocks from his bat against the Caribbeans.
The board has also included Ishan Kishan in their 16-member squad as an extra wicketkeeper batter. If Bharat fails to give a tough time to Windies bowlers in the tournament coming ahead, the team management might drop him and provide Kishan with a chance to don a white jersey and represent team India.
7. Ravindra Jadeja
Ravindra Jadeja. (Photo Source: Alex Davidson-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)
The Indian team will expect one of the most bankable stalwarts, Ravindra Jadeja, to put up an all-round dominating show against the West Indies and help the team to clinch the series. In February, the all-rounder made a perfect comeback in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2022-23.
Picking up 22 wickets in eight innings of four Tests, Jadeja became the joint-second-leading wicket-taker in the tournament, along with Nathan Lyon. However, in the WTC final game, Jadeja couldn’t perform up to the expectations, like other veterans such as captain Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, and Virat Kohli.
Playing the two-match Test series in the Caribbean conditions, the 34-year-old will look to have a great time in both batting and bowling departments. Talking about Jadeja’s bowling record in the West Indies, the veteran has claimed nine wickets in six innings of three Tests, with the best figures of 4/77.
8. Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin of India (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
Ravichandran Ashwin was named in India’s squad for the series against the West Indies. In the WTC final 2023 at the Oval, London, Ashwin didn’t feature in India’s playing XI. His non-selection in the team hadn’t gone well with Indian team supporters as they felt the spin wizard could’ve helped the side with his experience and talent.
In the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2022-23, Ashwin took 25 wickets in eight innings of four Tests and ended up becoming the highest wicket-taker in the competition. The veteran’s record is amazing in the West Indies as he has picked up 17 wickets in seven innings of four Tests.
The 36-year-old will look forward to bolstering India’s spin attack in the Windies tour, along with Ravindra Jadeja. During India’s tour of the West Indies in 2016, Ashwin had become the leading wicket-taker in the competition, with 17 wickets in seven innings of four Tests.
9. Shardul Thakur
Shardul Thakur v South Africa. (Photo Source: Twitter)
Shardul Thakur has got selected for a couple of Tests against the West Indies. In the WTC final 2023, Thakur showed his batting excellence in the first innings, notching up a half-century. With the ball, Thakur looked ineffective as he could pick up only two wickets in the match.
In the West Indies, the team will expect him to provide brilliant all-round figures to the team. The 31-year-old kicked off his Test career in 2018 and since then, he helped India to win important series. In the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the Mumbai-born helped India to bag the series with his spunky all-rounder performance in the fourth Test, at the Gabba, in Australia.
Mohammed Shami won’t tour the Caribbean islands along with the Indian side as the pacer will be given a rest. In the absence of the veteran, Thakur might be given the responsibility to support Mohammed Siraj to lead the fast-bowling unit.
10. Mohammed Siraj
Mohammed Siraj. (Photo Source: BCCI)
Mohammed Siraj will spearhead India’s pace attack in the upcoming Test series against the Kraigg Brathwaite-led side. In the WTC 2023 final, Siraj became the most successful bowler for the side, grabbing five wickets against the Aussies. The pacer also took a four-wicket haul in the first innings.
Against the West Indies, Siraj hasn’t played any Tests, and in the upcoming tournament, he will look to be aggressive against the hosts. As Shami has been given a rest for the series, Siraj will look to perform more responsibly in the absence of his senior colleague. The 29-year-old might get the support of experienced Shardul as well.
Bumrah is currently inactive in the international circuit due to fitness issues and the Indian team is desperately searching for a pacer who could serve the team consistently with the ball in the longest form of cricket. Siraj’s performance has been decent in recent years but the speedster still needs to work on a few areas to fulfill his team’s requirements.
11. Navdeep Saini
Navdeep Saini. (Photo Source: Twitter)
The board has trusted Navdeep Saini to reinforce India’s fast-bowling unit in the Windies tour. The 30-year-old played his last Test against Australia, at the Gabba in Brisbane. So far, he has represented the Indian Test team twice and in both appearances, he fetched four wickets in four innings.
In 2022, Saini participated in County Championship and performed magnificently with the ball. Playing a couple of games for Kent in Division One, Saini took 11 wickets in four innings. In his debut game, he took 7/111 against Warwickshire at Edgbaston, including a fifer in the first innings.
Playing in the Caribbean conditions, Saini will look to do wonders with the ball and grab the attention of selectors and the team management to become a regular member of India’s Test squad. Saini’s first-class numbers also made him an ideal pick to strengthen India’s pace attack in the upcoming series. So far, the Karnal-born speedster has hunted 174 batters in 104 innings of 60 first-class games.