• Source:JND
Add as a preferred

JE Sports Desk: After suffering a crushing defeat against Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final last month, India will open their next 2023- 25 cycle with Test series against West Indies in Dominica on July 12.

India are scheduled to play two-match Test series followed by three ODIs and as many T20Is in the Caribbean. Rohit Sharma-led side missed out on their second straight WTC title at The Oval after facing a defeat against New Zealand in the summit clash in 2021.

Ahead of the start of the series, India ace spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who was not included in the playing 11 for the WTC Final, has detailed the team's preparations for the red-ball challenge.

"We have already reached the West Indies shores. We have a 10-day window to get rid of the jetlag and start our practice. Our current coach Rahul bhai always lays more emphasis on a lot on preparation. Our preparation is the process," Hindustan Times quoted Ashwin as saying.

"If we can take care of the preparation, the rest will take care of itself. So, that is the thought process. So we've come really ahead for the preparation. In fact, I was supposed to play 6-7 games in the TNPL but had to cut short and reach here after playing four games,” he added.

The all-rounder went on to reveal why the squad landed in Barbados instead of Dominica.

“We have come to Barbados. Why have we come here? Because we have our preparation camp here and will also have a two-day match here before heading to Dominica for the first Test,” he said.

India dropped Cheteshwar Pujara from the Test squad while Ajinkya Rahane was promoted as vice-captain. IPL performers Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal were handed their maiden Test call-up for the tour.

India's Test squad: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), KS Bharat (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, Navdeep Saini.