Pujara dropped, Jaiswal, Gaikwad make the cut for West Indies Tests

Cheteshwar Pujara has been dropped from India’s Test squad for the upcoming series against the West Indies, while Ruturaj Gaikwad, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and pacer Mukesh Kumar are the three uncapped newcomers included in the 16-man unit. The Men in Blue will take on Kraig Brathwaite’s side in a two-match Test series in the Caribbean in their first assignment of the 2023-25 World Test Championship Cycle, and Rohit Sharma’s side will be looking to start on a clean slate after their humbling loss to Australia in the recently concluded WTC final at the Oval.

The headline news for Team India is the exclusion of Cheteshwar Pujara from the set-up. The long-standing number three managed just 14 and 27 in the World Test Championship Final against Australia and has seen his returns dip in the longest format over the past few years. Pujara only has one century in his last 28 Test matches, averaging 29.69 in this span.

The 35-year-old was previously dropped from the Indian team for the home Test series against Sri Lanka in 2022 but made a comeback in the rescheduled fifth Test against England later that year after a string of impressive performances in county cricket. However, a chance at another return for the batter may be slim, with Pujara likely to be the first domino to fall as team India kickstart their transition in the longest format.

Newcomers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad will be fighting it out for Pujara’s position in the line-up, with both batters comfortable to open the innings or bat at number three in the XI. Gaikwad was called up to the India squad for the WTC Final as a reserve batter and averages a respectable 42.19 from 28 first-class matches. Jaiswal, meanwhile, has an even more impressive record in the domestic circuit. The left-hander averages 80.21 in first-class cricket and scored a whopping 1169 runs across nine matches in his latest domestic season, including two centuries in his most recent outing in the Irani Trophy.

Elsewhere in the squad, Ajinkya Rahane retains his place after his strong showing in the WTC Final against Australia and will be vice-captain, replacing the outgoing Cheteshwar Pujara as Rohit Sharma’s deputy.

On the fast-bowling front, Umesh Yadav has been dropped from the side, while Mohammed Shami has given a rest after a strenuous IPL campaign for the Gujarat Titans followed by the WTC Final. Navdeep Saini makes a return to the Test team and could be in line to play his first Test since the sensational Gabba heist in 2021, while Mukesh Kumar has received a maiden call-up after playing a leading role for Bengal in their two trips to the Ranji Trophy Final in the last three years.

Full Squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Yashasvi Jaiswal, KS Bharat (wk), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, Ishan Kishan (wk), Navdeep Saini