According to reports, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to finalize the squad for the upcoming West Indies tour on June 27. It is expected that several senior players, including Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Mohammed Shami, and Mohammed Siraj, may not be part of the team for the entire duration of the tour.
While Sharma and Kohli are likely to feature in the two Test matches, they are unlikely to be part of the One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). Siraj and Shami will also have their playing time managed due to workload concerns.
With some key players likely to be rested, this presents an opportunity for fringe players to showcase their talent. Players such as Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Umran Malik, and Arshdeep Singh are expected to be included in the squads for ODIs, Tests, and T20Is. Samson and Umran are likely to feature in the white-ball squads, while Jaiswal and Arshdeep are expected to be part of the Test team.
The West Indies tour will commence with two Test matches. If Rohit Sharma decides to extend his break, he may not captain the Test team, and the responsibility could be handed to designated vice-captain Cheteshwar Pujara. In the white-ball formats, Hardik Pandya is anticipated to lead the Indian team in the ODIs and T20Is. The BCCI is also expected to hold discussions regarding Pandya’s future in Test cricket.
The squad selection for the West Indies tour will be a crucial decision for the BCCI as they aim to strike a balance between resting key players and providing opportunities to promising talents. The tour will be an important platform for young players to prove their mettle and establish themselves in the national setup.
