IND vs WI: No rest for Rohit Sharma, Pujara Test spot, India’s Test Squad for West Indies series: Team India skipper Rohit Sharma is reportedly available for the selection as India embarks on its West Indies tour which comprises Tests, ODIs and T20Is. As per the sources in the know of the development, Rohit will lead the Indian side in the West Indies tour, which begins on July 12.
Earlier there were reports of Rohit Sharma getting a rest for the IND vs WI Test series, however, the BCCI officials have quashed the reports. The reports indicated workload management of Rohit Sharma as a key factor for giving him a break.
However, the senior BCCI official reckons a month-long break after the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023 Final is sufficient to rejuvenate the players.
“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,” said a senior BCCI official.
He further mentioned that although Rohit couldn’t produce a match-winning effort in the ICC WTC Final, he has done decent overall in the last few months.
“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.
Meanwhile, the BCCI official also revealed that there is no threat to Cheteshwar Pujara’s place in India’s Test squad. With the absence of Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul is serving as a blessing in disguise for him.
While Pujara is set to retain his test spot, the selectors are also keen on adding Sarfaraz Khan along with Mukesh Kumar to India’s Test squad for West Indies series.
The likes of Mohammad Siraj and Shami are likely to get rest for the two-match test series aginst West Indies. Both the players are a key part of India’s ODI squad and BCCI would want them to remain fresh.
Hardik Pandya is also unlikely to make his comeback with the upcoming test series against West Indies. With Asia Cup and ODI World Cup lined ahead, Hardik’s prime focus will be the limited-over format.
IND vs WI: India’s Test Squad for West Indies series
Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Sarfaraz Khan, Ishan Kishan (wk), KS Bharat, Ravichandran Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Mukesh Kumar, Shardul Thakur.
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