India announced the squad for the West Indies tour where the team will play four Tests in July. Virat Kohli will lead a 17-member squad to the Caribbean islands.
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Pacer Shardul Thakur got his maiden Test call-up for India while Varun Aaron was dropped. Spinner Amit Mishra made a return to the Test squad and fit-again Mohammed Shami was also back.
The 24-year-old right-arm medium pacer was included in a largely untouched 17-member squad with the selectors reposing their faith in the line-up that had played the last Test series against South Africa at home.
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Thakur was rewarded for his consistent performance in the domestic circuit where he took 41 wickets in 11 matches for Mumbai at an average of 24.51. His best figures in an innings were six for 107.
Varun Aaron, who was part of the team during the series against South Africa, was dropped and a fit-again Mohammed Shami returned to the squad which will have Ajinkya Rahane as its new vice-captain.
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All-rounder Stuart Binny retained his place in the team announced by new BCCI Secretary Ajay Shirke following a meeting of the selection committee in Mumbai.
The team, to be led by Virat Kohli, also had no place for veterans such as Gautam Gambhir, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh and Yuvraj Singh despite their decent performances in the ongoing Indian Premier League. The tour of West Indies comprises four Tests in mid-July but the exact dates for the series are yet to be formalised.
Kohli, nursing a hand injury, has been left out of the limited-overs series against Zimbabwe, scheduled from June 11 to 20, along with Murali Vijay and Ashish Nehra, who is due to undergo a surgery.
“No one has been rested. No one wrote to BCCI or called us (to say) they were not available or they should be rested. It was the decision of the selection committee to pick a young side for Zimbabwe and another side for West Indies,” selection panel head Sandeep Patil told reporters.
There was a heated exchange between a scribe and Shirke when the question was posed on how Kohli could play in IPL with an injury but has been advised rest for Zimbabwe.
“The report which we have from Indian team physio Patrick Farhart says he (Kohli) needs rest after IPL. I am talking about the report, we go by the report,” said Patil.
Shirke intervened to say, “Let’s not look at things that way. It’s my request. He’s one of our top performing players. There’s a medical advice even in the middle of a tournament. Let’s not put things upside down that he’s available for IPL and not for country.”
India also announced the squad for Zimbabwe tour.
Test squad for West Indies tour
Virat Kohli, Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha, R Ashwin, Amit Mishra, Ravindra Jadeja, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Stuart Binny
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