Rohit Sharma-led India&nbsp;kicked off their tour of West Indies on Wednesday (July 12) on Day One of the first Test. The&nbsp;day's play was headlined by R Ashwin's five-wicket haul, 5 for 60, as the Windies were bundled out for 150 -- opting to bat first -- before Rohit (30 not out) and debutant Yashasvi Jaiswal (unbeaten 40) took India to 80 for no loss.

Ahead of the two-match Test series opener, Rohit addressed the pre-match presser and revealed India's batting order. He confirmed that Shubman Gill -- who has been opening for India across formats -- will be batting at No. 3, a request he himself came up with prior to the Dominica Test.

Former Indian opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra opened up on Gill's request and admitted 'neither does anyone make that request, nor anyone is given that luxury' but feels the move might work for Team India.

<h2>'You don't see a player telling team management that he likes to...'</h2>

Chopra said on his official YouTube channel, "Shubman Gill told team management that he wanted to play at no.3. It's a very interesting thing, because you don't usually hear such things happening in Indian cricket. You don't see a player telling team management that he likes to bat in a particular position. Neither does anyone make that request, nor anyone is given that luxury. But the good thing is Yashasvi Jaiswal can now open."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/did-we-make-a-mistake-aakash-chopra-on-team-indias-decision-to-drop-ravichandran-ashwin-from-wtc-final-stst-615032">Aakash Chopra on Team India’s decision to drop Ashwin from WTC final</a>

He opined, "But in Test cricket, if there's one difficult job, it's that of opener. Especially away from home. No. 3 is still a challenging spot, but no. 4 is the most settled spot and you usually keep your best batter in that spot. You don't want him to bat with the tail.

“Shubman at no.3, I'm not surprised. I tweeted in 2020 that he would play long for India but in few years time, you would see him batting in the middle. Now, he has himself expressed that wish,” Chopra added.

Thus, Gill is replacing Cheteshwar Pujara at the No. 3 spot after the latter was dropped for the WI series following a streak of ordinary performances in the 2021-23 WTC cycle.

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Rohit Sharma-led India kicked off their tour of West Indies on Wednesday (July 12) on Day One of the first Test. The day's play was headlined by R Ashwin's five-wicket haul, 5 for 60, as the Windies were bundled out for 150 -- opting to bat first -- before Rohit (30 not out) and debutant Yashasvi Jaiswal (unbeaten 40) took India to 80 for no loss.

Rohit Sharma-led India kicked off their tour of West Indies on Wednesday (July 12) on Day One of the first Test. The day's play was headlined by R Ashwin's five-wicket haul, 5 for 60, as the Windies were bundled out for 150 -- opting to bat first -- before Rohit (30 not out) and debutant Yashasvi Jaiswal (unbeaten 40) took India to 80 for no loss. Ahead of the two-match Test series opener, Rohit addressed the pre-match presser and revealed India's batting order. He confirmed that Shubman Gill -- who has been opening for India across formats -- will be batting at No. 3, a request he himself came up with prior to the Dominica Test. Former Indian opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra opened up on Gill's request and admitted 'neither does anyone make that request, nor anyone is given that luxury' but feels the move might work for Team India. 'You don't see a player telling team management that he likes to...' Chopra said on his official YouTube channel, "Shubman Gill told team management that he wanted to play at no.3. It's a very interesting thing, because you don't usually hear such things happening in Indian cricket. You don't see a player telling team management that he likes to bat in a particular position. Neither does anyone make that request, nor anyone is given that luxury. But the good thing is Yashasvi Jaiswal can now open." Also Read: Aakash Chopra on Team India’s decision to drop Ashwin from WTC final He opined, "But in Test cricket, if there's one difficult job, it's that of opener. Especially away from home. No. 3 is still a challenging spot, but no. 4 is the most settled spot and you usually keep your best batter in that spot. You don't want him to bat with the tail. “Shubman at no.3, I'm not surprised. I tweeted in 2020 that he would play long for India but in few years time, you would see him batting in the middle. Now, he has himself expressed that wish,” Chopra added. Thus, Gill is replacing Cheteshwar Pujara at the No. 3 spot after the latter was dropped for the WI series following a streak of ordinary performances in the 2021-23 WTC cycle. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

'Neither does anyone make such demand, nor...': Ex-India opener on Shubman Gill asking to bat at No. 3

India’s new Test opening pair Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal have set and broken some serious records, scoring a century each, in the first test against West Indies. Rohit Sharma now has the most runs by an Indian in the history of WTC and the most hundreds by an Indian opener overseas (all formats). On the other hand, Yashasvi Jaiswal became the first Indian to score a century on his Test debut on foreign soil and the 17th Indian batsman to score a century on debut. Yashasvi shared a 229-run partnership with captain Rohit Sharma, who got out after scoring 104 runs. Yashasvi created a flurry of records by putting up 150 runs.

<h2>Rohit-Yashasvi breaks Sehwag-Bangar record</h2>

With a mammoth partnership of 229 runs, the Indian skipper and debutant Jaiswal registered the highest opening partnership for India against West Indies in Tests. Both broke the records of Virender Sehwag and Sanjay Bangar, who shared a 201-run partnership in Mumbai in 2002. Sehwag and Jaffer also added 159 runs at Grosse Eisel in 2006. In 1978, Sunil Gavaskar and Chetan Chauhan shared a 153-run partnership in Mumbai. Followed by the pair of Gavaskar and Anshuman Gaikwad scoring 136 runs in Kingston in 1976.

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🚨 Milestone Alert 🚨 
 
2️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ up &amp; going strong 💪 💪<a href="https://twitter.com/ImRo45?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ImRo45</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/ybj_19?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ybj_19</a> now hold the record of the highest opening partnership for India against West Indies in Tests 🔝 
 
Follow the match ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/FWI05P4Bnd">https://t.co/FWI05P4Bnd</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WIvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WIvIND</a> <a href="https://t.co/16Ok0G8ZpV">pic.twitter.com/16Ok0G8ZpV</a>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1679553278470660099?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wi-vs-ind-2023-yashasvi-jaiswal-thanks-management-following-debut-test-ton-says-this-is-just-a-start-615389">WI vs IND 2023: Yashasvi Jaiswal thanks management following debut Test ton, says 'this is just a start'</a>

<h2>Yashasvi creates history</h2>

Yashasvi Jaiswal became the third Indian opener to score a century on debut. Shikhar Dhawan did the same in 2013 against Australia in Mohali and Prithvi Shaw in 2018 against West Indies in Rajkot. Yashasvi created history by scoring a century in the very first Test while debuting on foreign soil. He is the first Indian opener to do so. He is also the third player to score a century on debut against the West Indies, after Rohit Sharma scored 177 runs in Kolkata in 2013, followed by Prithvi Shaw scoring 134 runs in 2013 in Rajkot.

<h2>Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal played more than 450 balls</h2>

India captain Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal faced a total of 454 balls. Surpassing Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan’s record of facing the most balls in an innings by an Indian opening pair. Vijay and Dhawan did not allow a single wicket to fall for 407 balls against Bangladesh at Fatullah in 2015.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-usas-major-league-cricket-gets-underway-with-a-thrilling-first-match-615376">Major League Cricket: Texas Super Kings beat Los Angeles Knight Riders by 69 runs in opener</a>

The pair of Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid faced 461 balls against Pakistan in Lahore in 2006. At the top in this case is the opening pair of Rohit Sharma and Mayank Agarwal. Both played 492 balls against South Africa in Visakhapatnam in 2019.

India’s new Test opening pair Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal have set and broken some serious records, scoring a century each, in the first test against West Indies.

India’s new Test opening pair Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal have set and broken some serious records, scoring a century each, in the first test against West Indies. Rohit Sharma now has the most runs by an Indian in the history of WTC and the most hundreds by an Indian opener overseas (all formats). On the other hand, Yashasvi Jaiswal became the first Indian to score a century on his Test debut on foreign soil and the 17th Indian batsman to score a century on debut. Yashasvi shared a 229-run partnership with captain Rohit Sharma, who got out after scoring 104 runs. Yashasvi created a flurry of records by putting up 150 runs. Rohit-Yashasvi breaks Sehwag-Bangar record With a mammoth partnership of 229 runs, the Indian skipper and debutant Jaiswal registered the highest opening partnership for India against West Indies in Tests. Both broke the records of Virender Sehwag and Sanjay Bangar, who shared a 201-run partnership in Mumbai in 2002. Sehwag and Jaffer also added 159 runs at Grosse Eisel in 2006. In 1978, Sunil Gavaskar and Chetan Chauhan shared a 153-run partnership in Mumbai. Followed by the pair of Gavaskar and Anshuman Gaikwad scoring 136 runs in Kingston in 1976. 🚨 Milestone Alert 🚨 2️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ up & going strong 💪 💪@ImRo45 and @ybj_19 now hold the record of the highest opening partnership for India against West Indies in Tests 🔝 Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/FWI05P4Bnd#TeamIndia | #WIvIND pic.twitter.com/16Ok0G8ZpV — BCCI (@BCCI) July 13, 2023 × Also read: WI vs IND 2023: Yashasvi Jaiswal thanks management following debut Test ton, says 'this is just a start' Yashasvi creates history Yashasvi Jaiswal became the third Indian opener to score a century on debut. Shikhar Dhawan did the same in 2013 against Australia in Mohali and Prithvi Shaw in 2018 against West Indies in Rajkot. Yashasvi created history by scoring a century in the very first Test while debuting on foreign soil. He is the first Indian opener to do so. He is also the third player to score a century on debut against the West Indies, after Rohit Sharma scored 177 runs in Kolkata in 2013, followed by Prithvi Shaw scoring 134 runs in 2013 in Rajkot. Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal played more than 450 balls India captain Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal faced a total of 454 balls. Surpassing Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan’s record of facing the most balls in an innings by an Indian opening pair. Vijay and Dhawan did not allow a single wicket to fall for 407 balls against Bangladesh at Fatullah in 2015. Also read: Major League Cricket: Texas Super Kings beat Los Angeles Knight Riders by 69 runs in opener The pair of Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid faced 461 balls against Pakistan in Lahore in 2006. At the top in this case is the opening pair of Rohit Sharma and Mayank Agarwal. Both played 492 balls against South Africa in Visakhapatnam in 2019.

Record Alert! Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit share highest opening stand for India against West Indies in Tests

Former Indian opener Sunil Gavaskar revealed that the current crop of Indian batters have not approached him for inputs in order to rectify their mistakes. Gavaskar, also known as the Little Master, mentioned that yesteryear superstars such as Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman used to approach him during their playing days, however, the same is not the case in current times.

Gavaskar told&nbsp;The Indian Express,&nbsp;"If the batters are making the same mistakes over and over again, you need to ask what has happened with your technique. How have you tried to improve the batter? Have you tried to tell him, maybe take a different guard? Don't take a leg-stump guard, take a middle and off-stump guard."

Recalling how he came to former Indian opener Virender Sehwag's aid, Gavaskar stated, "I remember once calling Virender Sehwag out of the blue. He had not been scoring too many runs. I told him, 'Viru, just try the off-stump guard'. So he asked, 'Why, Sunny bhai?' So I told him, 'Look, you aren't known for great footwork. What is happening is, sometimes when you are getting out, you are reaching out for the delivery and it makes things difficult for you. So, maybe if you take the off-stump guard, you straight away know that the ball is outside the off-stump. That is where the coach can come in with his inputs."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-wi-virat-kohlis-overseas-test-century-drought-might-end-in-west-indies-feels-ex-indian-opener-614668">IND vs WI: Virat Kohli's overseas Test century drought might end in West Indies, feels ex-Indian opener</a>

The cricketer-turned-commentator further revealed why he has kept himself away from approaching the current players.

He added, "No, no one has come. Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, and VVS Laxman regularly came to me. And they would approach me with a specific problem and you could tell them something which you had observed. I don't have an ego about this, I could go and talk to them but since there are two coaches — Rahul Dravid and Vikram Rathore – so sometimes you hold back since you don’t want to confuse them with too much information."

In current times, not many instances have come up where current Indian batters have revealed to have spoken to former cricketers from the country. With the presence of stalwart Dravid as India's head coach and a designated batting coach in Vikram Rathour, Indian batters mostly rely on their guidance to work on their batting.

Despite all this,&nbsp;the likes of Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, etc have not been in the best of form of late.

Thus, a lot of questions have been raised about the Indian batters' ability to apply themselves&nbsp;for a long period and not repeat their mistakes.

Thus, they are expected to return to their usual best in India's two-match Test series versus West Indies, in the Caribbean island, which kicks off on Wednesday (July 12) in Dominica.

The series commences India's campaign in the 2023-25 WTC cycle.

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Former Indian opener Sunil Gavaskar revealed that the current crop of Indian batters have not approached him for inputs in order to rectify their mistakes. Gavaskar, also known as the Little Master, mentioned that yesteryear superstars such as Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman used to approach him during their playing days, however, the same is not the case in current times.

Former Indian opener Sunil Gavaskar revealed that the current crop of Indian batters have not approached him for inputs in order to rectify their mistakes. Gavaskar, also known as the Little Master, mentioned that yesteryear superstars such as Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman used to approach him during their playing days, however, the same is not the case in current times. Gavaskar told The Indian Express, "If the batters are making the same mistakes over and over again, you need to ask what has happened with your technique. How have you tried to improve the batter? Have you tried to tell him, maybe take a different guard? Don't take a leg-stump guard, take a middle and off-stump guard." Recalling how he came to former Indian opener Virender Sehwag's aid, Gavaskar stated, "I remember once calling Virender Sehwag out of the blue. He had not been scoring too many runs. I told him, 'Viru, just try the off-stump guard'. So he asked, 'Why, Sunny bhai?' So I told him, 'Look, you aren't known for great footwork. What is happening is, sometimes when you are getting out, you are reaching out for the delivery and it makes things difficult for you. So, maybe if you take the off-stump guard, you straight away know that the ball is outside the off-stump. That is where the coach can come in with his inputs." Also Read: IND vs WI: Virat Kohli's overseas Test century drought might end in West Indies, feels ex-Indian opener The cricketer-turned-commentator further revealed why he has kept himself away from approaching the current players. He added, "No, no one has come. Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, and VVS Laxman regularly came to me. And they would approach me with a specific problem and you could tell them something which you had observed. I don't have an ego about this, I could go and talk to them but since there are two coaches — Rahul Dravid and Vikram Rathore – so sometimes you hold back since you don’t want to confuse them with too much information." In current times, not many instances have come up where current Indian batters have revealed to have spoken to former cricketers from the country. With the presence of stalwart Dravid as India's head coach and a designated batting coach in Vikram Rathour, Indian batters mostly rely on their guidance to work on their batting. Despite all this, the likes of Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, etc have not been in the best of form of late. Thus, a lot of questions have been raised about the Indian batters' ability to apply themselves for a long period and not repeat their mistakes. Thus, they are expected to return to their usual best in India's two-match Test series versus West Indies, in the Caribbean island, which kicks off on Wednesday (July 12) in Dominica. The series commences India's campaign in the 2023-25 WTC cycle. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

'Dravid, Sachin...'- Gavaskar on current batters not approaching him, reveals why he has restricted himself

India skipper Rohit Sharma has confirmed the Indian team set-up for the first Test against West Indies in Dominica as his side kicks off the two-match series on Wednesday, July 12 evening. Surprisingly, India have&nbsp;shown faith in Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal, with the former batting at No. 3 while the latter will be handed his first cap for the national team. This will be Rohit Sharma’s first Test series as captain on away territory with his only other Test on foreign territory coming in the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia in June.

<h2>Gill to bat at No.3</h2>

"Shubman Gill will play at No. 3 because he wants to play at three," Rohit said in a pre-match press conference on Tuesday.

Gill, who has been in superb form in 2023, will play at the one-down position after Cheteshwar Pujara was dropped for the tour. The young star has been in relentless form since the turn of the year and has scored eight hundreds in the calendar year, including three in the Indian Premier League. He has played in the position before for Punjab in the domestic circuit and is not new to the position.

"He told [coach] Rahul [Dravid] bhai that he has played all of his cricket at No. 3 and No. 4 and that he can do better for the team at No. 3. It helps us too as it creates a left-right opening combination. This is what we are trying and hopefully, this becomes a long-term thing as we have been desperate for a left-hander. We have got that left-hander in Jaiswal and let's hope that he performs well for the team and he can really make that spot his own,” Rohit added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ashes-2023-ollie-robinson-in-squad-for-old-trafford-clash-despite-injury-bairstow-to-continue-with-gloves-614309">Ashes 2023: Ollie Robinson in squad for Old Trafford clash despite injury; Bairstow to continue with gloves</a>

<h2>Jaiswal to make debut</h2>

In big team news, Yashasvi Jaiswal will be handed a debut as Indian team management focuses on the left-hand batters issue. The team currently has no full-time recognised left-hand batter in the team with them heavily relying on the services of Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel in the Test set-up. Jaiswal will become the 306th player to represent India in the Test format and joins greats like Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, and others from the town of Mumbai to represent the national side.

&nbsp;

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India skipper Rohit Sharma has confirmed the Indian team set-up for the first Test against West Indies in Dominica as his side kicks off the two-match series on Wednesday, July 12 evening.

India skipper Rohit Sharma has confirmed the Indian team set-up for the first Test against West Indies in Dominica as his side kicks off the two-match series on Wednesday, July 12 evening. Surprisingly, India have shown faith in Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal, with the former batting at No. 3 while the latter will be handed his first cap for the national team. This will be Rohit Sharma’s first Test series as captain on away territory with his only other Test on foreign territory coming in the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia in June. Gill to bat at No.3 "Shubman Gill will play at No. 3 because he wants to play at three," Rohit said in a pre-match press conference on Tuesday. Gill, who has been in superb form in 2023, will play at the one-down position after Cheteshwar Pujara was dropped for the tour. The young star has been in relentless form since the turn of the year and has scored eight hundreds in the calendar year, including three in the Indian Premier League. He has played in the position before for Punjab in the domestic circuit and is not new to the position. "He told [coach] Rahul [Dravid] bhai that he has played all of his cricket at No. 3 and No. 4 and that he can do better for the team at No. 3. It helps us too as it creates a left-right opening combination. This is what we are trying and hopefully, this becomes a long-term thing as we have been desperate for a left-hander. We have got that left-hander in Jaiswal and let's hope that he performs well for the team and he can really make that spot his own,” Rohit added. ALSO READ | Ashes 2023: Ollie Robinson in squad for Old Trafford clash despite injury; Bairstow to continue with gloves Jaiswal to make debut In big team news, Yashasvi Jaiswal will be handed a debut as Indian team management focuses on the left-hand batters issue. The team currently has no full-time recognised left-hand batter in the team with them heavily relying on the services of Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel in the Test set-up. Jaiswal will become the 306th player to represent India in the Test format and joins greats like Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, and others from the town of Mumbai to represent the national side. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

IND vs WI 1st Test: Shubman Gill will play at No. 3 - Rohit Sharma reveals India's batting set-up

India are set to kick off their campaign in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle with the two-match Test series versus West Indies. The home side will host Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. in the first Test, at Windsor Park, Roseau, Dominica, on July 12 as India look set to start a new era in red-ball format with the additions of many youngsters in the line-up. When the Test squad for the WI series was announced, Cheteshwar Pujara's name was missing as many believe he has been made the scapegoat for India's WTC final loss versus Australia, at The Oval, London, last month.

Pujara averaged 32 in the 2021-23 WTC cycle and has only scored one ton since early 2019. The right-hander's numbers have been dismal, to say the least, but the likes of Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane have also not performed as per expectations for quite some time. Thus, former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh opined on Pujara's omission and feels he has been India's 'unsung hero' for a long time and deserves more respect.

<h2>Pujara has been doing the dirty work of hanging in there'</h2>

"I have a lot of respect for Chesteshwar Pujara for what he has achieved. He has been an unsung hero of the Indian team for many years now. He has been one of those pillars of strength for India, doing the dirty work of hanging in there, making sure other batters got their comfort," Harbhajan told news agency&nbsp;PTI.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-can-be-an-option-for-test-captaincy-if-india-look-beyond-rohit-sharma-former-chief-selector-613947">Virat Kohli can be an option for Test captaincy if India look beyond Rohit Sharma: Former chief selector</a>

Bhajji asserted, "I believe he needs to be given a bit more respect than what he has been given and the way he was chucked out of the team was a surprise for me. Because he isn't the only one not scoring runs. There are others as well who play in that same team who are scoring runs at same average."

Harbhajan also pointed out that a lot of talk has been around Pujara's strike-rate in Tests, but he feels he has also held up one end firmly with his defensive approach. "In case of Pujara, we keep hearing about his strike-rate of scoring runs in Tests but because of that strike-rate, the wickets remain intact and that's a huge contribution. So you have to see which guy is contributing what. You need to see how much the team needs him. In my opinion, the team still needs him. When you go abroad (SENA countries), you need one such batter as you can't have everyone playing strokes all the time. You need someone who plays normal Test cricket, just like Chesteshwar Pujara," he added.

Pujara recently scored a ton in the 2023 Duleep Trophy semi-final for West Zone. He has been replaced by the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad for the WI series, however, if he scores a bulk of runs in the domestic circuit, he might still make a comeback in the Indian team.

In 103 Tests, Pujara has&nbsp;7195 runs along with 19 tons and 35 half-centuries at an average of&nbsp;43.60, including a best of 206.

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India are set to kick off their campaign in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle with the two-match Test series versus West Indies. The home side will host Rohit Sharma & Co.

India are set to kick off their campaign in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle with the two-match Test series versus West Indies. The home side will host Rohit Sharma & Co. in the first Test, at Windsor Park, Roseau, Dominica, on July 12 as India look set to start a new era in red-ball format with the additions of many youngsters in the line-up. When the Test squad for the WI series was announced, Cheteshwar Pujara's name was missing as many believe he has been made the scapegoat for India's WTC final loss versus Australia, at The Oval, London, last month. Pujara averaged 32 in the 2021-23 WTC cycle and has only scored one ton since early 2019. The right-hander's numbers have been dismal, to say the least, but the likes of Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane have also not performed as per expectations for quite some time. Thus, former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh opined on Pujara's omission and feels he has been India's 'unsung hero' for a long time and deserves more respect. Pujara has been doing the dirty work of hanging in there' "I have a lot of respect for Chesteshwar Pujara for what he has achieved. He has been an unsung hero of the Indian team for many years now. He has been one of those pillars of strength for India, doing the dirty work of hanging in there, making sure other batters got their comfort," Harbhajan told news agency PTI. Also Read: Virat Kohli can be an option for Test captaincy if India look beyond Rohit Sharma: Former chief selector Bhajji asserted, "I believe he needs to be given a bit more respect than what he has been given and the way he was chucked out of the team was a surprise for me. Because he isn't the only one not scoring runs. There are others as well who play in that same team who are scoring runs at same average." Harbhajan also pointed out that a lot of talk has been around Pujara's strike-rate in Tests, but he feels he has also held up one end firmly with his defensive approach. "In case of Pujara, we keep hearing about his strike-rate of scoring runs in Tests but because of that strike-rate, the wickets remain intact and that's a huge contribution. So you have to see which guy is contributing what. You need to see how much the team needs him. In my opinion, the team still needs him. When you go abroad (SENA countries), you need one such batter as you can't have everyone playing strokes all the time. You need someone who plays normal Test cricket, just like Chesteshwar Pujara," he added. Pujara recently scored a ton in the 2023 Duleep Trophy semi-final for West Zone. He has been replaced by the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad for the WI series, however, if he scores a bulk of runs in the domestic circuit, he might still make a comeback in the Indian team. In 103 Tests, Pujara has 7195 runs along with 19 tons and 35 half-centuries at an average of 43.60, including a best of 206. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

'He has been Team India's unsung hero': Harbhajan praises senior batter ahead of West Indies Tests

India are set to kick off their campaign in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle on Wednesday (July 12) when they take on hosts West Indies in the two-match series opener in Dominica. After a loss in the WTC final last month, India have inducted some young players in the line-up, with the likes of Ruturaj Gaikwad, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mukesh Kumar, etc making it to the squad.&nbsp;While many were happy with India's Test squad for the Windies tour, former Indian opener Sunil Gavaskar wasn't impressed.&nbsp;

Gavaskar feels India should have added more youngsters in the mix and could have given rest to their main players against the eighth-ranked West Indies line-up. Thus, ahead of the series opener, the Little Master has taken an indirect dig at 'main guys' captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane and the likes. The Indian legend feels the Windies series was an ideal time for India to test its bench strength but&nbsp;since they have persisted with their regulars, they won't gain anything significant and it will also hamper their transition process.

<h2>'The truth is the main guys do not want to go early'</h2>

Gavaskar, who turned 74&nbsp;on Monday (July 10), told the Indian Express, "What kind of preparation are we talking about? Now they have gone to the West Indies. You have the example of the World Test Championship before you. Are you playing any matches? So what is this talk about 20-25 days? When you talk about preparation, be genuine about it. Go 15 days before, play two warm-up matches. The main guys can rest, but the fringe players might be actually challenging those who are not doing well. He does not get an opportunity to show that he is good enough."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ashes-2023-theyve-to-play-him-nasser-hussain-explains-why-australia-need-david-warner-in-manchester-test-614207">Ashes 2023: 'They've to play him' - Nasser Hussain explains why Australia need David Warner in Manchester Test</a>

He added, "The truth is the main guys do not want to go early. Because they know that come what may, they will get selected. And when you go early, they will talk about the workload. You call yourself the fittest team in the world or fitter than the early generations then how do you break down so soon? How do you have a workload issue when you play a 20-over game?"

India's tour of West Indies comprises two Tests, three ODIs and five T20Is. Rohit and Kohli will be part of the ODI squad as well but the duo will continue to remain out of the T20I squad for the Windies tour as well.&nbsp;

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India are set to kick off their campaign in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle on Wednesday (July 12) when they take on hosts West Indies in the two-match series opener in Dominica.

India are set to kick off their campaign in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle on Wednesday (July 12) when they take on hosts West Indies in the two-match series opener in Dominica. After a loss in the WTC final last month, India have inducted some young players in the line-up, with the likes of Ruturaj Gaikwad, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mukesh Kumar, etc making it to the squad. While many were happy with India's Test squad for the Windies tour, former Indian opener Sunil Gavaskar wasn't impressed. Gavaskar feels India should have added more youngsters in the mix and could have given rest to their main players against the eighth-ranked West Indies line-up. Thus, ahead of the series opener, the Little Master has taken an indirect dig at 'main guys' captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane and the likes. The Indian legend feels the Windies series was an ideal time for India to test its bench strength but since they have persisted with their regulars, they won't gain anything significant and it will also hamper their transition process. 'The truth is the main guys do not want to go early' Gavaskar, who turned 74 on Monday (July 10), told the Indian Express, "What kind of preparation are we talking about? Now they have gone to the West Indies. You have the example of the World Test Championship before you. Are you playing any matches? So what is this talk about 20-25 days? When you talk about preparation, be genuine about it. Go 15 days before, play two warm-up matches. The main guys can rest, but the fringe players might be actually challenging those who are not doing well. He does not get an opportunity to show that he is good enough." Also Read: Ashes 2023: 'They've to play him' - Nasser Hussain explains why Australia need David Warner in Manchester Test He added, "The truth is the main guys do not want to go early. Because they know that come what may, they will get selected. And when you go early, they will talk about the workload. You call yourself the fittest team in the world or fitter than the early generations then how do you break down so soon? How do you have a workload issue when you play a 20-over game?" India's tour of West Indies comprises two Tests, three ODIs and five T20Is. Rohit and Kohli will be part of the ODI squad as well but the duo will continue to remain out of the T20I squad for the Windies tour as well. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

'Main guys know they'll get selected...': Gavaskar takes an indirect dig at Rohit, Kohli ahead of WI Tests

Ahead of India's upcoming two-match Test series versus West Indies&nbsp;in the Caribbean island, former BCCI chief selector MSK Prasad feels Virat Kohli can be a Test captaincy option if the selectors are thinking to move beyond Rohit Sharma. After Kohli resigned as the red-ball captain in early 2022, Rohit became the full-time skipper.

Since Rohit took over, India whitewashed Sri Lanka at home and won the 2022/23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy&nbsp;2-1&nbsp;versus Australia at home before the Baggy Greens&nbsp;defeated them in the WTC final last month at The Oval, London. After the WTC summit clash, many raised fingers at Rohit's captaincy in the format. Ahead of the WI tour, there were talks of Rohit being removed as the Test captain. However, he retained the post whereas Ajinkya Rahane - who made a comeback in the WTC finale after more than a year -&nbsp;regained the vice-captaincy post.

Thus, Prasad feels if the selectors are not convinced with Rohit as the Test captain, they can ask Kohli to take over once again. It is to be noted that Kohli is India's most successful Test skipper, with 40 wins in 68 games. The ex-chief selector cited Rahane's example and stated that if the Mumbaikar can come back and be reappointed as the vice-captain, why can't Kohli lead India as well?

<h2>'When Ajinkya Rahane can&nbsp;become the vice-captain, then why not Virat Kohli?'</h2>

Speaking to Khel Now, Prasad said, "Why not Virat Kohli? When Ajinkya Rahane can come back and become the vice-captain, then why not Virat Kohli? I don’t know what the mindset of Virat is on captaincy. In case selectors are thinking beyond Rohit, I don’t know whether they are thinking but if they are thinking beyond Rohit, then I think Virat can also be an option."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/people-are-going-overboard-harbhajan-singh-backs-under-fire-captain-rohit-sharma-ahead-of-wi-tour-613905">People are going overboard: Harbhajan Singh backs under-fire captain Rohit Sharma ahead of WI tour</a>

Prasad also spoke about the other prospects who can take over from Rohit. Among the younger lot, Rishabh Pant is a potential candidate but he is out of action following his horrific car accident in December 2022. Speaking about Pant, Prasad pointed out that while he can be an option, the keeper-batter first needs to return and resume from where he left off before being given additional responsibilities.

Prasad added, "Let him come back. See what Rishabh Pant has done no other wicketkeeper-batsman in the history of Indian Cricket has done. Because no wicketkeeper has got runs and centuries in Australia South Africa and England in the Indian Cricket history. Let him come back, let him start getting back on the field."

Pant has&nbsp;2,271 runs in 33 Tests, along with five centuries, along with 133 dismissals.&nbsp;

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Ahead of India's upcoming two-match Test series versus West Indies in the Caribbean island, former BCCI chief selector MSK Prasad feels Virat Kohli can be a Test captaincy option if the selectors are thinking to move beyond Rohit Sharma.

Ahead of India's upcoming two-match Test series versus West Indies in the Caribbean island, former BCCI chief selector MSK Prasad feels Virat Kohli can be a Test captaincy option if the selectors are thinking to move beyond Rohit Sharma. After Kohli resigned as the red-ball captain in early 2022, Rohit became the full-time skipper. Since Rohit took over, India whitewashed Sri Lanka at home and won the 2022/23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2-1 versus Australia at home before the Baggy Greens defeated them in the WTC final last month at The Oval, London. After the WTC summit clash, many raised fingers at Rohit's captaincy in the format. Ahead of the WI tour, there were talks of Rohit being removed as the Test captain. However, he retained the post whereas Ajinkya Rahane - who made a comeback in the WTC finale after more than a year - regained the vice-captaincy post. Thus, Prasad feels if the selectors are not convinced with Rohit as the Test captain, they can ask Kohli to take over once again. It is to be noted that Kohli is India's most successful Test skipper, with 40 wins in 68 games. The ex-chief selector cited Rahane's example and stated that if the Mumbaikar can come back and be reappointed as the vice-captain, why can't Kohli lead India as well? 'When Ajinkya Rahane can become the vice-captain, then why not Virat Kohli?' Speaking to Khel Now, Prasad said, "Why not Virat Kohli? When Ajinkya Rahane can come back and become the vice-captain, then why not Virat Kohli? I don’t know what the mindset of Virat is on captaincy. In case selectors are thinking beyond Rohit, I don’t know whether they are thinking but if they are thinking beyond Rohit, then I think Virat can also be an option." Also Read: People are going overboard: Harbhajan Singh backs under-fire captain Rohit Sharma ahead of WI tour Prasad also spoke about the other prospects who can take over from Rohit. Among the younger lot, Rishabh Pant is a potential candidate but he is out of action following his horrific car accident in December 2022. Speaking about Pant, Prasad pointed out that while he can be an option, the keeper-batter first needs to return and resume from where he left off before being given additional responsibilities. Prasad added, "Let him come back. See what Rishabh Pant has done no other wicketkeeper-batsman in the history of Indian Cricket has done. Because no wicketkeeper has got runs and centuries in Australia South Africa and England in the Indian Cricket history. Let him come back, let him start getting back on the field." Pant has 2,271 runs in 33 Tests, along with five centuries, along with 133 dismissals. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Virat Kohli can be an option for Test captaincy if India look beyond Rohit Sharma: Former chief selector

Rohit Sharma-led India is set to lock horns with West Indies in the forthcoming two-match Test series, which commences on July 12. The series will kick off India's campaign in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle. After finishing second in the previous two cycles, India will be desperate to get hold of the coveted Test mace and for that, they require a great start in the Caribbean.

Rohit has been serving as India's full-time captain since early 2022. Under him, India reached the semi-finals of the 2022 T20 World Cup but were thrashed by eventual winners England by ten wickets. In the 2021-23 WTC cycle, India played the final where Australia beat them by 209 runs, last month, at The Oval, London. Thus, the 2023-25 cycle is vital for Rohit as India will require a good start under him. Moreover, the ODI World Cup is set to take place later this year, at home, and Rohit &amp; Co. are one of the favourites.

Overall, a lot is riding on Rohit's shoulders at present. After India's WTC final defeat, many raised fingers at Rohit's leadership, including former cricketers such as Sunil Gavaskar. He was also trolled after India's T20 World Cup and Asia Cup debacle last year. However, he has found the backing of former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh.

<h2>'It is unfair to criticise Rohit alone'</h2>

"I find that people are going a bit overboard... the way Rohit has been criticised. Cricket is a team sport and one individual cannot take you from one place to another," Harbhajan told PTI ahead of India's Test series versus West Indies. He further opined, "Team India didn't do well in the WTC final, and yes, you talk about that performance and move on from there. But it is unfair to criticise Rohit alone, that he is not scoring runs, putting on weight, not captaining well. I think he is a brilliant leader."

"I have played with him (Rohit) and watched him closely. He commands a lot of respect not only in the MI dressing room but also in the Indian dressing room. So I think it's unfair to judge him on the basis of recent results. He will come good and we need to show faith in him and we need to support him rather than pinpointing that you are not doing this or that," Bhajji asserted.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-expected-more-sunil-gavaskar-on-rohit-sharmas-captaincy-performance-stst-613812">Sunil Gavaskar, disappointed with Rohit Sharma's captaincy, says he expected more</a>

In the past, Indian captains have enjoyed relentless support from&nbsp;the BCCI and its most powerful administrator. For instance, Sourav Ganguly relied on&nbsp;Jagmohan Dalmiya's support whereas MS Dhoni had the strong backing of N Srinivasan. In addition, Virat Kohli -- Rohit's predecessor -- took several decisions which were supported by&nbsp;Vinod Rai, the former CAG and Committee of Administrators (CoA) head.&nbsp;Thus,&nbsp;Harbhajan -- also known as the Turbanator -- hopes that Rohit receives the same level of support from the BCCI.

In this regard, Bhajji added, "If you have the support from BCCI, you can work freely. Not just MS Dhoni or Virat Kohli, if you go back a little further, a lot of captains have got support from BCCI presidents of that time.

"Rohit must be getting support from BCCI. I don't know how much support he must be getting (though). Having that kind of support will help him take right kind of decision at the right time. He will get that liberty if he has that support. Support must be there for Rohit like BCCI has given it to all its captains."

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Rohit Sharma-led India is set to lock horns with West Indies in the forthcoming two-match Test series, which commences on July 12. The series will kick off India's campaign in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle.

Rohit Sharma-led India is set to lock horns with West Indies in the forthcoming two-match Test series, which commences on July 12. The series will kick off India's campaign in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle. After finishing second in the previous two cycles, India will be desperate to get hold of the coveted Test mace and for that, they require a great start in the Caribbean. Rohit has been serving as India's full-time captain since early 2022. Under him, India reached the semi-finals of the 2022 T20 World Cup but were thrashed by eventual winners England by ten wickets. In the 2021-23 WTC cycle, India played the final where Australia beat them by 209 runs, last month, at The Oval, London. Thus, the 2023-25 cycle is vital for Rohit as India will require a good start under him. Moreover, the ODI World Cup is set to take place later this year, at home, and Rohit & Co. are one of the favourites. Overall, a lot is riding on Rohit's shoulders at present. After India's WTC final defeat, many raised fingers at Rohit's leadership, including former cricketers such as Sunil Gavaskar. He was also trolled after India's T20 World Cup and Asia Cup debacle last year. However, he has found the backing of former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh. 'It is unfair to criticise Rohit alone' "I find that people are going a bit overboard... the way Rohit has been criticised. Cricket is a team sport and one individual cannot take you from one place to another," Harbhajan told PTI ahead of India's Test series versus West Indies. He further opined, "Team India didn't do well in the WTC final, and yes, you talk about that performance and move on from there. But it is unfair to criticise Rohit alone, that he is not scoring runs, putting on weight, not captaining well. I think he is a brilliant leader." "I have played with him (Rohit) and watched him closely. He commands a lot of respect not only in the MI dressing room but also in the Indian dressing room. So I think it's unfair to judge him on the basis of recent results. He will come good and we need to show faith in him and we need to support him rather than pinpointing that you are not doing this or that," Bhajji asserted. Also Read: Sunil Gavaskar, disappointed with Rohit Sharma's captaincy, says he expected more In the past, Indian captains have enjoyed relentless support from the BCCI and its most powerful administrator. For instance, Sourav Ganguly relied on Jagmohan Dalmiya's support whereas MS Dhoni had the strong backing of N Srinivasan. In addition, Virat Kohli -- Rohit's predecessor -- took several decisions which were supported by Vinod Rai, the former CAG and Committee of Administrators (CoA) head. Thus, Harbhajan -- also known as the Turbanator -- hopes that Rohit receives the same level of support from the BCCI. In this regard, Bhajji added, "If you have the support from BCCI, you can work freely. Not just MS Dhoni or Virat Kohli, if you go back a little further, a lot of captains have got support from BCCI presidents of that time. "Rohit must be getting support from BCCI. I don't know how much support he must be getting (though). Having that kind of support will help him take right kind of decision at the right time. He will get that liberty if he has that support. Support must be there for Rohit like BCCI has given it to all its captains." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

People are going overboard: Harbhajan Singh backs under-fire captain Rohit Sharma ahead of WI tour

Former Indian cricket captain Sunil Gavaskar has criticised Rohit Sharama’s captaincy and said that he was expecting more from one of the two most successful captains of the Indian Premier League. 
Speaking at The Indian Express Idea Exchange, the legendary batsman said, “I expected more from him (Rohit). In India, it is different, but when you do well overseas that is the test. That is where he has been a little disappointing. Even in the T20 format, with all the experience of the IPL.”

Gavaskar said that both Rohit Sharma and the Indian head coach Rahul Dravid should be taking more responsibility for the losses and why there was no change of tactics after continuous high-profile losses. He also talked about how current Indian batters are struggling with the same problems for a long time and asked questions about what the coaching staff was doing about it. He criticised Rohit’s comments about ‘lack of preparation time’ after the loss to Australia in the World Test Championship Finals 2023.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/brad-pitt-respects-f1-and-thrills-drivers-at-silverstone-613740">Brad Pitt respects F1 and thrills drivers at Silverstone</a>

Former Indian batsmen said, “You have the example of the World Test Championship before you. Are you playing any matches?” Gavaskar pointed out the lack of practice matches in India. The former right-handed batsman opined the Indian team should have played at least two warm-up matches for the players to get more time on the field and back into their rhythm.

Rohit Sharma took over captaincy from Virat Kohli in all formats last year, and people have huge expectations of him. India has not been able to win major tournaments while constantly reaching the knockout stages. The last time India won any major ICC tournament was back in 2013 under the captaincy of MS Dhoni, lifting the ICC Champions Trophy. Under Rohit’s captaincy, India first lost to England in the T20I World Cup 2022 and failed to reach the final. Then, in the WTC Finals 2023, India lost to Australia.

Also read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/on-this-day-ravindra-jadeja-brilliant-knock-goes-in-vain-against-new-zealand-in-2019-world-cup-semi-final-stst-613743"> On this day: Ravindra Jadeja’s brilliance goes in vain against in 2019 World Cup semi-final</a>

Rohit Sharma will be leading India in this year’s World Cup and is under immense pressure to prove everyone wrong and lead the side to victory and regain the Cup after more than 12 years.

Former Indian cricket captain Sunil Gavaskar has criticised Rohit Sharama’s captaincy and said that he was expecting more from one of the two most successful captains of the Indian Premier League.

Former Indian cricket captain Sunil Gavaskar has criticised Rohit Sharama’s captaincy and said that he was expecting more from one of the two most successful captains of the Indian Premier League. Speaking at The Indian Express Idea Exchange, the legendary batsman said, “I expected more from him (Rohit). In India, it is different, but when you do well overseas that is the test. That is where he has been a little disappointing. Even in the T20 format, with all the experience of the IPL.” Gavaskar said that both Rohit Sharma and the Indian head coach Rahul Dravid should be taking more responsibility for the losses and why there was no change of tactics after continuous high-profile losses. He also talked about how current Indian batters are struggling with the same problems for a long time and asked questions about what the coaching staff was doing about it. He criticised Rohit’s comments about ‘lack of preparation time’ after the loss to Australia in the World Test Championship Finals 2023. Also read: Brad Pitt respects F1 and thrills drivers at Silverstone Former Indian batsmen said, “You have the example of the World Test Championship before you. Are you playing any matches?” Gavaskar pointed out the lack of practice matches in India. The former right-handed batsman opined the Indian team should have played at least two warm-up matches for the players to get more time on the field and back into their rhythm. Rohit Sharma took over captaincy from Virat Kohli in all formats last year, and people have huge expectations of him. India has not been able to win major tournaments while constantly reaching the knockout stages. The last time India won any major ICC tournament was back in 2013 under the captaincy of MS Dhoni, lifting the ICC Champions Trophy. Under Rohit’s captaincy, India first lost to England in the T20I World Cup 2022 and failed to reach the final. Then, in the WTC Finals 2023, India lost to Australia. Also read: On this day: Ravindra Jadeja’s brilliance goes in vain against in 2019 World Cup semi-final Rohit Sharma will be leading India in this year’s World Cup and is under immense pressure to prove everyone wrong and lead the side to victory and regain the Cup after more than 12 years.

Sunil Gavaskar, disappointed with Rohit Sharma's captaincy, says he expected more

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has passed his opinion on the star duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli after they were rested for the T20I series against West Indies. Both Virat and Rohit are not part of the Indian team in the shortest format of the game with indications of their careers already over. However, according to Ganguly, the duo still has a lot to offer and is not done yet in the T20I format. India will play West Indies next month in a five-match T20I series with two matches to take place in the USA.

<h2>Not the end of the road</h2>

"Pick your best players, it doesn't matter who they are. In my opinion, both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma still have a place in T20I cricket and I cannot see why a Kohli or a Rohit cannot play T20I cricket. Kohli was in great form in the IPL, and both have a place in T20 cricket if you ask me," Ganguly said in an interview.

Rohit and Virat have not played in the T20I format since the T20 World Cup semifinal against England in Australia in 2022. There have been muted talks of the end of the road in the T20I format for Rohit and Virat who have been rested more often.

The reigns have&nbsp;been offered to Hardik Pandya who has done well since taking over the role. He led the Indian team to a series win against New Zealand and Sri Lanka before he got the better of Ireland last year.

"They just have to keep playing. They will have to keep performing in whatever chances they get. It happens all the time. Only 15 can be picked in the squad, and 11 can play. So, somebody has to miss out. I am pretty sure their time will come," he added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ddca-director-shyam-sharma-provides-latest-update-on-rishabh-pants-recovery-613381">DDCA director Shyam Sharma provides latest update on Rishabh Pant's recovery</a>

<h2>Faith in youngsters</h2>

On the horizon, India team selectors have shown faith in Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tilak Varma for the T20I series. They both will link up with the Indian side for the series and will like to get their debuts for the national side.&nbsp;India will start their West Indies tour on July 12 when they face the wounded Caribbean side in the first Test match in Barbados.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

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Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has passed his opinion on the star duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli after they were rested for the T20I series against West Indies.

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has passed his opinion on the star duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli after they were rested for the T20I series against West Indies. Both Virat and Rohit are not part of the Indian team in the shortest format of the game with indications of their careers already over. However, according to Ganguly, the duo still has a lot to offer and is not done yet in the T20I format. India will play West Indies next month in a five-match T20I series with two matches to take place in the USA. Not the end of the road "Pick your best players, it doesn't matter who they are. In my opinion, both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma still have a place in T20I cricket and I cannot see why a Kohli or a Rohit cannot play T20I cricket. Kohli was in great form in the IPL, and both have a place in T20 cricket if you ask me," Ganguly said in an interview. Rohit and Virat have not played in the T20I format since the T20 World Cup semifinal against England in Australia in 2022. There have been muted talks of the end of the road in the T20I format for Rohit and Virat who have been rested more often. The reigns have been offered to Hardik Pandya who has done well since taking over the role. He led the Indian team to a series win against New Zealand and Sri Lanka before he got the better of Ireland last year. "They just have to keep playing. They will have to keep performing in whatever chances they get. It happens all the time. Only 15 can be picked in the squad, and 11 can play. So, somebody has to miss out. I am pretty sure their time will come," he added. ALSO READ | DDCA director Shyam Sharma provides latest update on Rishabh Pant's recovery Faith in youngsters On the horizon, India team selectors have shown faith in Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tilak Varma for the T20I series. They both will link up with the Indian side for the series and will like to get their debuts for the national side. India will start their West Indies tour on July 12 when they face the wounded Caribbean side in the first Test match in Barbados. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

IND vs WI Series: Sourav Ganguly opines on Virat, Rohit's T20I future, says 'somebody has to miss out'

Team India are gearing up for the West Indies tour, which starts on July 12. India will be playing 2 Tests, 3 ODIs and 5 T20Is in West Indies. This series comes after a break of a month-long break for India. Now, BCCI posted a video of Indian players meeting fans and clicking pictures with the local players.

<h2>Indian Cricketers show great gestures</h2>

The video shows Mohammad Siraj giving his bat and shoes as a note of thanks to a young fan while clicking pictures with them. Siraj said in the video that these players have helped the team a lot in practice and he just wanted to thank them by this gesture. Indian keeper Ishan Kishan can also be seen in the video advising the younger players.&nbsp;

<h2>Changes for the West Indies tour</h2>

The Indian side has picked up youngsters and has rewarded them for their performances in domestic leagues as well as the Indian Premiere League. Players, like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad, have been roped in to the Test squad.&nbsp;

In T20Is, Hardik Pandya will lead the side as there is no return of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tilak Varma have both received their maiden T20I call-up after their wonderful performance in the IPL. Yashasvi was the 5th highest run-getter for Rajasthan Royal with 625 runs and Varma was an integral part of MI’s middle order and helped them reach the playoffs. Axar Patel and Avesh Khan have also returned to the team after missing the New Zealand T20Is.

India’s T20I squad: Ishan Kishan (wk), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, Surya Kumar Yadav (VC), Sanju Samson (wk), Hardik Pandya (C), Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Umran Malik, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar.

BCCI posted a video of Indian players clicking pictures and giving advice to young players who are helping them practice in the nets. Siraj can be seen giving away his bat and shoes.

Team India are gearing up for the West Indies tour, which starts on July 12. India will be playing 2 Tests, 3 ODIs and 5 T20Is in West Indies. This series comes after a break of a month-long break for India. Now, BCCI posted a video of Indian players meeting fans and clicking pictures with the local players. Indian Cricketers show great gestures The video shows Mohammad Siraj giving his bat and shoes as a note of thanks to a young fan while clicking pictures with them. Siraj said in the video that these players have helped the team a lot in practice and he just wanted to thank them by this gesture. Indian keeper Ishan Kishan can also be seen in the video advising the younger players. Changes for the West Indies tour The Indian side has picked up youngsters and has rewarded them for their performances in domestic leagues as well as the Indian Premiere League. Players, like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad, have been roped in to the Test squad. In T20Is, Hardik Pandya will lead the side as there is no return of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tilak Varma have both received their maiden T20I call-up after their wonderful performance in the IPL. Yashasvi was the 5th highest run-getter for Rajasthan Royal with 625 runs and Varma was an integral part of MI’s middle order and helped them reach the playoffs. Axar Patel and Avesh Khan have also returned to the team after missing the New Zealand T20Is. India’s T20I squad: Ishan Kishan (wk), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, Surya Kumar Yadav (VC), Sanju Samson (wk), Hardik Pandya (C), Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Umran Malik, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar.

Mohammed Siraj’s heartwarming gesture is a super show

The ICC ODI World Cup 2023 qualifiers have lived up to expectations. After a lot of twists and turns, Sri Lanka and the Netherlands have made it to the next round. The two sides are set to lock horns in the summit clash but irrespective of the result, both will now travel to India for this year's ODI World Cup which will get underway on October 05.

Defending champions England will face New Zealand in the tournament-opener in Ahmedabad on October 05. Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma-led India will open their campaign versus Australia, the five-time winners, in Chennai on October 08. They will lock horns with arch-rivals Pakistan in Ahmedabad on October 15 and also have some tough battles ahead versus England, the Black Caps, etc.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/this-day-in-2019-rohit-sharma-became-first-ever-to-slam-five-centuries-in-an-odi-world-cup-612649">OTD, in 2019: Rohit Sharma became first-ever batter to slam five tons in single edition of ODI World Cup</a>

<h2>Here's India's full schedule at the CWC'23 after SL, NED qualify</h2>

<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width: 500px;">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Dates</td>
			<td>Fixtures</td>
			<td>Venues</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>08/10/2023</td>
			<td>India vs Australia (D/N)</td>
			<td>Chennai</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>11/10/2023</td>
			<td>India vs Afghanistan (D/N)</td>
			<td>Delhi</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>15/10/2023</td>
			<td>India vs Pakistan (D/N)</td>
			<td>Ahmedabad</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>19/10/2023</td>
			<td>India vs Bangladesh (D/N)</td>
			<td>Pune</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>22/10/2023</td>
			<td>India vs New Zealand (D/N)</td>
			<td>Dharamshala</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>29/10/2023</td>
			<td>India vs England (D/N)</td>
			<td>Lucknow</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>02/11/2023</td>
			<td>India vs Sri Lanka (D/N)</td>
			<td>Mumbai</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>05/11/2023</td>
			<td>India vs South Africa (D/N)</td>
			<td>Kolkata</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>11/11/2023</td>
			<td>India vs Netherlands</td>
			<td>Bengaluru</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

India is the only team who will be playing in as many as nine venues, a different one for each game. Thus, the home side will have their task cut-out to meet the expectations of their ardent fans and go the distance in the tournament amid regular travel.&nbsp;

Rohit &amp; Co., who occupy the third spot in ICC ODI Rankings, will not play any day game. Thus, they will also have to take into consideration the dew factor at some venues. Overall, the Men in Blue are set to face a stern test in the league stage in order to enter the top four and go for their third title in the showpiece event.

The last time India hosted the ODI World Cup was back in 2011, when MS Dhoni-led co-hosts won the tournament. Indian fans will be desperate to see the national team replicate their 2011 success this time around as well. Given India's last ICC title win came in 2013, the pressure will be on Rohit &amp; Co.

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The ICC ODI World Cup 2023 qualifiers have lived up to expectations. After a lot of twists and turns, Sri Lanka and the Netherlands have made it to the next round.

The ICC ODI World Cup 2023 qualifiers have lived up to expectations. After a lot of twists and turns, Sri Lanka and the Netherlands have made it to the next round. The two sides are set to lock horns in the summit clash but irrespective of the result, both will now travel to India for this year's ODI World Cup which will get underway on October 05. Defending champions England will face New Zealand in the tournament-opener in Ahmedabad on October 05. Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma-led India will open their campaign versus Australia, the five-time winners, in Chennai on October 08. They will lock horns with arch-rivals Pakistan in Ahmedabad on October 15 and also have some tough battles ahead versus England, the Black Caps, etc. Also Read: OTD, in 2019: Rohit Sharma became first-ever batter to slam five tons in single edition of ODI World Cup Here's India's full schedule at the CWC'23 after SL, NED qualify Dates Fixtures Venues 08/10/2023 India vs Australia (D/N) Chennai 11/10/2023 India vs Afghanistan (D/N) Delhi 15/10/2023 India vs Pakistan (D/N) Ahmedabad 19/10/2023 India vs Bangladesh (D/N) Pune 22/10/2023 India vs New Zealand (D/N) Dharamshala 29/10/2023 India vs England (D/N) Lucknow 02/11/2023 India vs Sri Lanka (D/N) Mumbai 05/11/2023 India vs South Africa (D/N) Kolkata 11/11/2023 India vs Netherlands Bengaluru India is the only team who will be playing in as many as nine venues, a different one for each game. Thus, the home side will have their task cut-out to meet the expectations of their ardent fans and go the distance in the tournament amid regular travel. Rohit & Co., who occupy the third spot in ICC ODI Rankings, will not play any day game. Thus, they will also have to take into consideration the dew factor at some venues. Overall, the Men in Blue are set to face a stern test in the league stage in order to enter the top four and go for their third title in the showpiece event. The last time India hosted the ODI World Cup was back in 2011, when MS Dhoni-led co-hosts won the tournament. Indian fans will be desperate to see the national team replicate their 2011 success this time around as well. Given India's last ICC title win came in 2013, the pressure will be on Rohit & Co. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

CWC'23: India's full schedule at 2023 ODI World Cup after Sri Lanka, Netherlands enter main draw

A future superstar in the making, Tilak Varma received his maiden India call-up for the five-match T20Is against West Indies. Playing for South Zone in the ongoing Duleep Trophy, Varma revealed receiving advice from stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli and how he dreams about playing for India and bailing them out of trouble in crunch games.

India captain Rohit Sharma, who also leads Mumbai Indians, a franchise Tilak Varma plays for, showered praises on the 20-year-old last year, predicting him to burst onto the international scene sooner than expected.&nbsp;

"Having such a calm head is never easy, and in my opinion, I feel he's going to be an all-format player for India pretty soon," Rohit said about Varma in May 2022.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tamims-retirement-call-was-unexpected-bcb-boss-urges-veteran-batter-to-reconsider-decision-as-cwc-approaches-613010">Tamim's retirement call was unexpected, BCB boss urges veteran batter to reconsider decision as CWC approaches</a>

One year later, the prediction came true as Varma, alongside young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal got their maiden call-ups to the Indian team.

Speaking on the sidelines of the ongoing Duleep Trophy semis against North Zone in Bengaluru, Tilak revealed the India call-up wasn't on his mind currently, and when he received the information of&nbsp;his selection (from his childhood friend), and informed his parents, they turned emotional and shed happy tears while being on a video call with him.

"I was not thinking about the national side," Varma said. "My mom and dad were crying on video call yesterday; they were very emotional. My childhood friend called me [saying] you have got selected. That was the time — around 8 o'clock [pm] — that I knew I was selected."

Thanks to the platform that IPL is, Tilak, quite early in his career, was able to rub shoulders with the legends, including Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit and Virat. Opening up on receiving advice from them, Tilak said,&nbsp;"I have heard a lot from Rohit bhai and Sachin sir, and also from Virat [Kohli] bhai. They always say that when you are in good form, your subconscious mind is in the right place," Varma said. "They also tell me to play close to the body… they always tell that [preparing] off the field is very important."

<h2>IPL treasure set to begin international journey</h2>

In IPL 2023, the young swashbuckler scored 343 runs at an impressive strike rate of 164, the third-best among Indian batters.&nbsp;

Although he is yet to begin his international journey, Tilak revealed he already dreams about playing crunch knocks for India in World Cup.

"I visualise every night how I can bat: if in a World Cup match, we are four or five down for 40 or 50, from there on, how can I take the team forward? It helps in making it easy for me," Varma added. 
&nbsp;

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A future superstar in the making, Tilak Varma received his maiden India call-up for the five-match T20Is against West Indies. Playing for South Zone in the ongoing Duleep Trophy, Varma revealed receiving advice from stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli and how he dreams about playing for India and bailing them out of trouble in crunch games.

A future superstar in the making, Tilak Varma received his maiden India call-up for the five-match T20Is against West Indies. Playing for South Zone in the ongoing Duleep Trophy, Varma revealed receiving advice from stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli and how he dreams about playing for India and bailing them out of trouble in crunch games. India captain Rohit Sharma, who also leads Mumbai Indians, a franchise Tilak Varma plays for, showered praises on the 20-year-old last year, predicting him to burst onto the international scene sooner than expected. "Having such a calm head is never easy, and in my opinion, I feel he's going to be an all-format player for India pretty soon," Rohit said about Varma in May 2022. ALSO READ: Tamim's retirement call was unexpected, BCB boss urges veteran batter to reconsider decision as CWC approaches One year later, the prediction came true as Varma, alongside young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal got their maiden call-ups to the Indian team. Speaking on the sidelines of the ongoing Duleep Trophy semis against North Zone in Bengaluru, Tilak revealed the India call-up wasn't on his mind currently, and when he received the information of his selection (from his childhood friend), and informed his parents, they turned emotional and shed happy tears while being on a video call with him. "I was not thinking about the national side," Varma said. "My mom and dad were crying on video call yesterday; they were very emotional. My childhood friend called me [saying] you have got selected. That was the time — around 8 o'clock [pm] — that I knew I was selected." Thanks to the platform that IPL is, Tilak, quite early in his career, was able to rub shoulders with the legends, including Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit and Virat. Opening up on receiving advice from them, Tilak said, "I have heard a lot from Rohit bhai and Sachin sir, and also from Virat [Kohli] bhai. They always say that when you are in good form, your subconscious mind is in the right place," Varma said. "They also tell me to play close to the body… they always tell that [preparing] off the field is very important." IPL treasure set to begin international journey In IPL 2023, the young swashbuckler scored 343 runs at an impressive strike rate of 164, the third-best among Indian batters. Although he is yet to begin his international journey, Tilak revealed he already dreams about playing crunch knocks for India in World Cup. "I visualise every night how I can bat: if in a World Cup match, we are four or five down for 40 or 50, from there on, how can I take the team forward? It helps in making it easy for me," Varma added. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Superstar-in-making Tilak Varma opens up on receiving advice from Rohit, Kohli ahead of West Indies tour

Team India will play a two-match Test series against the West Indies from July 12. The first Test will be played in Dominica. Before the start of the Test series, the players of the Indian team met West Indies cricketing legend Sir Garfield Sobers. The Board of Control of Cricket in India shared the video of Sir Garfield Sobers meeting with Indian players on social media. In the video, Sir Garfield Sobers and his wife can be seen meeting Team India’s head coach Rahul Dravid, skipper Rohit Sharma, opener Shubhman Gill, and former skipper Virat Kohli.

<h2>Team India meets Sir Garfield Sobers</h2>

The Indian team is currently practicing in Barbados, where Sir Garfield Sobers along with his wife came to visit the Rohit Sharma-led squad. The BCCI captioned the video as "In Barbados and in the company of greatness! Team India meet one of the greatest of the game - Sir Garfield Sobers." First Indian captain Rohit Sharma met Sir Garfield Sobers followed by head coach Rahul Dravid. Dravid also introduced Shubman Gill to Sir Garfield Sobers.Later, Test team vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane also came and met the Caribbean legend. &nbsp;

Virat Kohli shook hands with Sir Garfield Sobers and both were seen having a good laugh together. Shardul Thakur and Ravichandran Ashwin are also seen talking to Sir Garfield Sobers.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
In Barbados &amp; in the company of greatness! 🫡 🫡<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> meet one of the greatest of the game - Sir Garfield Sobers 🙌 🙌<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WIvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WIvIND</a> <a href="https://t.co/f2u1sbtRmP">pic.twitter.com/f2u1sbtRmP</a>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1676443188482183170?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<h2>Legendary batsman Sir Garfield Sobers</h2>

Sir Garfield Sobers is counted among the legendary all-rounders in the history of the West Indies. He played 93 Tests and one ODI for the West Indies between 1954 and 1974. Sobers has 8,032 runs in 160 innings at an average of 57.78. He also scored 26 centuries and 30 half-centuries in Tests.

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The International Cricket Council (ICC) also commemorates Sir Garfield Sobers' achievements through an award. The Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy, considered as the one of the most prestigious awards in the field, is given annually to the ICC Men's Cricketer of the Year. It was first awarded to Rahul Dravid in 2004. Former Australian cricketers Ricky Ponting and Mitchell Johnson and India star Virat Kohli have won the award twice. Pakistan skipper Babar Azam was awarded the trophy this year.

Team India will play a two-match Test series against the West Indies from July 12. The first Test will be played in Dominica. Before the start of the Test series, the players of the Indian team met West Indies cricketing legend Sir Garfield Sobers.

Team India will play a two-match Test series against the West Indies from July 12. The first Test will be played in Dominica. Before the start of the Test series, the players of the Indian team met West Indies cricketing legend Sir Garfield Sobers. The Board of Control of Cricket in India shared the video of Sir Garfield Sobers meeting with Indian players on social media. In the video, Sir Garfield Sobers and his wife can be seen meeting Team India’s head coach Rahul Dravid, skipper Rohit Sharma, opener Shubhman Gill, and former skipper Virat Kohli. Team India meets Sir Garfield Sobers The Indian team is currently practicing in Barbados, where Sir Garfield Sobers along with his wife came to visit the Rohit Sharma-led squad. The BCCI captioned the video as "In Barbados and in the company of greatness! Team India meet one of the greatest of the game - Sir Garfield Sobers." First Indian captain Rohit Sharma met Sir Garfield Sobers followed by head coach Rahul Dravid. Dravid also introduced Shubman Gill to Sir Garfield Sobers.Later, Test team vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane also came and met the Caribbean legend. Virat Kohli shook hands with Sir Garfield Sobers and both were seen having a good laugh together. Shardul Thakur and Ravichandran Ashwin are also seen talking to Sir Garfield Sobers. In Barbados & in the company of greatness! 🫡 🫡#TeamIndia meet one of the greatest of the game - Sir Garfield Sobers 🙌 🙌#WIvIND pic.twitter.com/f2u1sbtRmP — BCCI (@BCCI) July 5, 2023 × Also read: Big Bash League unveils new IPL-like format for season 13, all set to start on December 7 Legendary batsman Sir Garfield Sobers Sir Garfield Sobers is counted among the legendary all-rounders in the history of the West Indies. He played 93 Tests and one ODI for the West Indies between 1954 and 1974. Sobers has 8,032 runs in 160 innings at an average of 57.78. He also scored 26 centuries and 30 half-centuries in Tests. Also read: Football: Leicester City fined $1.12 million for restricting online kit sales The International Cricket Council (ICC) also commemorates Sir Garfield Sobers' achievements through an award. The Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy, considered as the one of the most prestigious awards in the field, is given annually to the ICC Men's Cricketer of the Year. It was first awarded to Rahul Dravid in 2004. Former Australian cricketers Ricky Ponting and Mitchell Johnson and India star Virat Kohli have won the award twice. Pakistan skipper Babar Azam was awarded the trophy this year.

IND vs WI: West Indies legend Sir Garfield Sobers meets Team India; watch

Former India cricketer Akash Chopra has lauded selectors for appointing Suryakumar Yadav as the vice-captain of India for the T20I series against West Indies. The Indian cricket team is now in Barbados for the two-match Test series against West Indies. On Wednesday, the 15-member squad for the T20 series was also announced. In the absence of senior players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya will lead the T20I team against West Indies and Suryakumar Yadav will be his deputy. Supporting this decision, Akash Chopra said Suryakumar Yadav comes “with a lot of cricketing experience”.

Akash Chopra said, “Giving him the vice-captaincy is right because of the way he has performed. It's not just the seniority in the side but he has&nbsp;come with a lot of cricketing experience. He has been a late bloomer slightly but vice-captain, I think a very good choice.”

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<h2>Some maiden T20I call-ups</h2>

Team India has been announced for the T20 series against West Indies. Hardik Pandya will lead the T20 team, while Suryakumar Yadav will be his deputy. IPL superstars Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tilak Verma have been given their maiden T20 call-ups. However, KKR’s Rinku Singh is not part of the Indian squad this time. Senior players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been rested.

India Squad for IND vs WI T20: Ishan Kishan (wk), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Verma, Surya Kumar Yadav (vc), Sanju Samson (wk), Hardik Pandya (c), Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Umran Malik, Avesh Khan, and Mukesh Kumar.

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India's T20I squad: Ishan Kishan (wk), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, Surya Kumar Yadav (VC), Sanju Samson (wk), Hardik Pandya (C), Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Umran Malik, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar.
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1676612464849584129?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<h2>Selection committee to be headed by Ajit Agarkar</h2>

Some changes have also happened in the selection committee. Chetan Sharma was replaced by former India cricketer Ajit Agarkar as the chief selector. And this is the first team selected by the selection committee headed by Agarkar.

Apart from Test matches, the Indian team will also play an ODI and T20 series in the West Indies. India's tour of the West Indies will see both teams locking horns in two Tests, three ODIs, and five T20Is. The first match of the India-West Indies Test series will be played in Dominica from July 12.

Former India cricketer Akash Chopra has lauded selectors for appointing Suryakumar Yadav as the vice-captain of India for the T20I series against West Indies. The Indian cricket team is now in Barbados for the two-match Test series against West Indies.

Former India cricketer Akash Chopra has lauded selectors for appointing Suryakumar Yadav as the vice-captain of India for the T20I series against West Indies. The Indian cricket team is now in Barbados for the two-match Test series against West Indies. On Wednesday, the 15-member squad for the T20 series was also announced. In the absence of senior players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya will lead the T20I team against West Indies and Suryakumar Yadav will be his deputy. Supporting this decision, Akash Chopra said Suryakumar Yadav comes “with a lot of cricketing experience”. Akash Chopra said, “Giving him the vice-captaincy is right because of the way he has performed. It's not just the seniority in the side but he has come with a lot of cricketing experience. He has been a late bloomer slightly but vice-captain, I think a very good choice.” Also read: French police raid PSG boss Nasser Al-Khelaifi over lobbyist's torture claims Some maiden T20I call-ups Team India has been announced for the T20 series against West Indies. Hardik Pandya will lead the T20 team, while Suryakumar Yadav will be his deputy. IPL superstars Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tilak Verma have been given their maiden T20 call-ups. However, KKR’s Rinku Singh is not part of the Indian squad this time. Senior players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been rested. India Squad for IND vs WI T20: Ishan Kishan (wk), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Verma, Surya Kumar Yadav (vc), Sanju Samson (wk), Hardik Pandya (c), Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Umran Malik, Avesh Khan, and Mukesh Kumar. India's T20I squad: Ishan Kishan (wk), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, Surya Kumar Yadav (VC), Sanju Samson (wk), Hardik Pandya (C), Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Umran Malik, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar. — BCCI (@BCCI) July 5, 2023 × Also read: Feels like Hardik Pandya will lead Team India in 2024 T20 World Cup as well, says former Indian opener Selection committee to be headed by Ajit Agarkar Some changes have also happened in the selection committee. Chetan Sharma was replaced by former India cricketer Ajit Agarkar as the chief selector. And this is the first team selected by the selection committee headed by Agarkar. Apart from Test matches, the Indian team will also play an ODI and T20 series in the West Indies. India's tour of the West Indies will see both teams locking horns in two Tests, three ODIs, and five T20Is. The first match of the India-West Indies Test series will be played in Dominica from July 12.

Suryakumar Yadav’s appointment as vice-captain praised by Akash Chopra

On July 06, 2019, Rohit Sharma created history as he became the first-ever batter to slam as many as five centuries in a single edition of the ICC ODI World Cup. The current Indian captain was in exceptional form in the previous edition of the 50-over showpiece event and entered the record books with his fifth ton, becoming the first-ever batsman to attain the feat. He also equalled Sachin Tendulkar with the most hundreds in ODI World Cup history (six) following his knock versus the Sri Lankans.

Four years back, India faced Sri Lanka in the 2019 ODI World Cup on July 06. Opting to bat first, Dimuth Karunaratne-led Sri Lanka were struggling at 55 for 4 before former skipper Angelo Mathews slammed 113 and helped Lanka post&nbsp;264 for 7 in 50 overs. In reply, India rode on openers Rohit and KL Rahul's 189-run opening stand. Rohit returned with a fine 94-ball 103 whereas Rahul top-scored with a sublime 113. Thus, India won the game by eight wickets without dropping much sweat, achieving&nbsp;the target with 39 balls to spare.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/stop-concentrating-on-india-vs-pakistan-shaheen-afridi-says-winning-cwc23-is-babar-cos-main-aim-612604">Stop concentrating on India vs Pakistan: Shaheen Afridi says winning CWC'23 is Babar &amp; Co.'s main aim</a>

Talking about Rohit's knock, his inning was laced with 14 fours and two sixes, resulting&nbsp;in a strike rate of 109.57. Throughout the 2019 ODI WC, the Hitman was in unbelievable form. The then vice-captain started his campaign with a hundred versus South Africa and followed it up with a match-winning 140 versus Pakistan before scoring three centuries on the trot -- against England, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. With the ton versus Lanka, Rohit surpassed Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara to hit five centuries in an ODI World Cup&nbsp;edition.

In the 2015 WC, Sangakkara had slammed four centuries&nbsp;before Rohit went a step ahead in the following edition. The right-hander ended the 2019 ODI WC with 648 runs -- second-most in a single edition -- and ended as the top run-getter. He will look to replicate the same form in the upcoming 2023 ODI World Cup at home. Rohit-led India will kick off their campaign versus Australia on October 08 in Chennai.

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On July 06, 2019, Rohit Sharma created history as he became the first-ever batter to slam as many as five centuries in a single edition of the ICC ODI World Cup.

On July 06, 2019, Rohit Sharma created history as he became the first-ever batter to slam as many as five centuries in a single edition of the ICC ODI World Cup. The current Indian captain was in exceptional form in the previous edition of the 50-over showpiece event and entered the record books with his fifth ton, becoming the first-ever batsman to attain the feat. He also equalled Sachin Tendulkar with the most hundreds in ODI World Cup history (six) following his knock versus the Sri Lankans. Four years back, India faced Sri Lanka in the 2019 ODI World Cup on July 06. Opting to bat first, Dimuth Karunaratne-led Sri Lanka were struggling at 55 for 4 before former skipper Angelo Mathews slammed 113 and helped Lanka post 264 for 7 in 50 overs. In reply, India rode on openers Rohit and KL Rahul's 189-run opening stand. Rohit returned with a fine 94-ball 103 whereas Rahul top-scored with a sublime 113. Thus, India won the game by eight wickets without dropping much sweat, achieving the target with 39 balls to spare. Also Read: Stop concentrating on India vs Pakistan: Shaheen Afridi says winning CWC'23 is Babar & Co.'s main aim Talking about Rohit's knock, his inning was laced with 14 fours and two sixes, resulting in a strike rate of 109.57. Throughout the 2019 ODI WC, the Hitman was in unbelievable form. The then vice-captain started his campaign with a hundred versus South Africa and followed it up with a match-winning 140 versus Pakistan before scoring three centuries on the trot -- against England, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. With the ton versus Lanka, Rohit surpassed Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara to hit five centuries in an ODI World Cup edition. In the 2015 WC, Sangakkara had slammed four centuries before Rohit went a step ahead in the following edition. The right-hander ended the 2019 ODI WC with 648 runs -- second-most in a single edition -- and ended as the top run-getter. He will look to replicate the same form in the upcoming 2023 ODI World Cup at home. Rohit-led India will kick off their campaign versus Australia on October 08 in Chennai. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

OTD, in 2019: Rohit Sharma became first-ever batter to slam five tons in single edition of ODI World Cup

India lost the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final to Australia by 209 runs at The Oval, London early this year. They ended as the runners-up in the 2019-2021 cycle and finished at the same spot in the 2021-23 cycle. The Indian players assembled in London soon after the end of IPL 2023 and, hence, many believe it was the reason for their dismal show.

India opted to bowl first and had reduced Australia to 76&nbsp;for 3 before Travis Head slammed 163 and Steve Smith's 121 took Australia to 469 all-out. In reply, India got bundled out for 296, with Ajinkya Rahane (89) and Shardul Thakur (51) being the top scorers. Australia declared at 270 for 8 in their second essay, setting a mammoth 444-run target. Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. folded for 234 to lose convincingly on the final day.&nbsp;

After India's poor showing, many former cricketers and experts opined that Indian players were not well prepared as they returned to the purest format after playing in the IPL for two months. Nonetheless, former Indian captain and BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly slammed such a theory.

“I don't agree with this theory. Ajinkya Rahane also played IPL and he played very well during IPL and World Test Championship final. So I don't believe in this theory. Some of the Australian boys (Cameron Green, David Warner), played well in IPL also and did well in World Test Championship,” Ganguly said while speaking to PTI.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cant-mix-entertainment-with-stupidity-vaughan-slams-eng-batters-for-falling-to-australias-short-ball-ploy-610516">'Can't mix entertainment with stupidity': Vaughan slams Eng batters for falling to Australia's short-ball ploy</a>

Ganguly added, "After IPL finished, there was enough time to acclimatise to Test cricket. They went to England and they played. It used to happen in the past. You played ODI cricket and you played Test cricket, things used to happen very, very quickly and so I don't believe it's an issue. So I believe that even if you play IPL, you should have the ability to adjust your technique and temperament and do well in a Test match."

Even in the 2019-21 WTC summit clash, where India lost to New Zealand in Southampton, the Indian players had come after playing IPL 2021. Nonetheless, the league was postponed in early May due to the COVID-19 threat. Thus, they still had over a month before the finale but lost to the Kiwis by eight wickets.

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India lost the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final to Australia by 209 runs at The Oval, London early this year. They ended as the runners-up in the 2019-2021 cycle and finished at the same spot in the 2021-23 cycle.

India lost the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final to Australia by 209 runs at The Oval, London early this year. They ended as the runners-up in the 2019-2021 cycle and finished at the same spot in the 2021-23 cycle. The Indian players assembled in London soon after the end of IPL 2023 and, hence, many believe it was the reason for their dismal show. India opted to bowl first and had reduced Australia to 76 for 3 before Travis Head slammed 163 and Steve Smith's 121 took Australia to 469 all-out. In reply, India got bundled out for 296, with Ajinkya Rahane (89) and Shardul Thakur (51) being the top scorers. Australia declared at 270 for 8 in their second essay, setting a mammoth 444-run target. Rohit Sharma & Co. folded for 234 to lose convincingly on the final day. After India's poor showing, many former cricketers and experts opined that Indian players were not well prepared as they returned to the purest format after playing in the IPL for two months. Nonetheless, former Indian captain and BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly slammed such a theory. “I don't agree with this theory. Ajinkya Rahane also played IPL and he played very well during IPL and World Test Championship final. So I don't believe in this theory. Some of the Australian boys (Cameron Green, David Warner), played well in IPL also and did well in World Test Championship,” Ganguly said while speaking to PTI. Also Read: 'Can't mix entertainment with stupidity': Vaughan slams Eng batters for falling to Australia's short-ball ploy Ganguly added, "After IPL finished, there was enough time to acclimatise to Test cricket. They went to England and they played. It used to happen in the past. You played ODI cricket and you played Test cricket, things used to happen very, very quickly and so I don't believe it's an issue. So I believe that even if you play IPL, you should have the ability to adjust your technique and temperament and do well in a Test match." Even in the 2019-21 WTC summit clash, where India lost to New Zealand in Southampton, the Indian players had come after playing IPL 2021. Nonetheless, the league was postponed in early May due to the COVID-19 threat. Thus, they still had over a month before the finale but lost to the Kiwis by eight wickets. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Was India underprepared for WTC final after IPL 2023? Sourav Ganguly disagrees with the 'theory'

On June 23, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced Team India's 16-member squad for the upcoming two-match Test series versus West Indies to be held&nbsp;in the Caribbean island. The Test series commences on July 12 as India will kick off their campaign in the third WTC cycle after ending second in 2019-2021 and 2021-23. While Rohit Sharma retained captaincy in the red-ball format, Ajinkya Rahane was promoted as vice-captain.&nbsp;

Rahane was India's Test vice-captain for a long time during Virat Kohli's captaincy. He lost the post in late 2021 and his place&nbsp;after a series of poor performances&nbsp;in early 2022 before making a comeback into the Indian team ahead of the 2021-23 WTC final versus Australia. Returning with an impressive 89 and 46 in the WTC summit clash, where India lost to Australia by 209 runs at The Oval, London, Rahane regained the vice-captaincy post for the West Indies tour. It is believed that injuries to Jasprit Bumrah, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant also led to Rahane regaining the vice-captaincy.&nbsp;

Many former cricketers reacted to Rahane once again becoming the vice-captain and slammed the move. While some believe it was an ideal chance to groom Shubman Gill, former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly feels Ravindra Jadeja was the ideal candidate.&nbsp;

<h2>'There is Ravindra Jadeja, who has been there for a long time and a certainty in Test matches'</h2>

"I won't say it's a step backwards. You have been out for 18 months, then you play a Test and you become a vice-captain. I don't understand the thought process behind it. There is Ravindra Jadeja, who has been there for a long time and a certainty in Test matches, he is a candidate." "....but to just come back and straightway become vice-captain after 18 months, I don't understand. My only thing is that selection shouldn't be hot and cold. There has to be continuity and consistency in selection," said Ganguly while talking to PTI.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-seemed-possessed-r-ashwin-recalls-indias-last-over-win-vs-pakistan-in-2022-t20-wc-610129">Virat Kohli seemed possessed: R Ashwin recalls India's last-over win vs Pakistan in 2022 T20 WC</a>

Talking about the Test squad, the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ishan Kishan, Mukesh Kumar, Navdeep Saini, Ruturaj Gaikwad have been included, whereas Cheteshwar Pujara has been dropped after a poor run in the previous WTC cycle, including low returns in the finale.&nbsp;

India's Test squad for West Indies tour:

Rohit Sharma (Capt), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ajinkya Rahane (VC), KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, Navdeep Saini.

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On June 23, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced Team India's 16-member squad for the upcoming two-match Test series versus West Indies to be held in the Caribbean island.

On June 23, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced Team India's 16-member squad for the upcoming two-match Test series versus West Indies to be held in the Caribbean island. The Test series commences on July 12 as India will kick off their campaign in the third WTC cycle after ending second in 2019-2021 and 2021-23. While Rohit Sharma retained captaincy in the red-ball format, Ajinkya Rahane was promoted as vice-captain. Rahane was India's Test vice-captain for a long time during Virat Kohli's captaincy. He lost the post in late 2021 and his place after a series of poor performances in early 2022 before making a comeback into the Indian team ahead of the 2021-23 WTC final versus Australia. Returning with an impressive 89 and 46 in the WTC summit clash, where India lost to Australia by 209 runs at The Oval, London, Rahane regained the vice-captaincy post for the West Indies tour. It is believed that injuries to Jasprit Bumrah, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant also led to Rahane regaining the vice-captaincy. Many former cricketers reacted to Rahane once again becoming the vice-captain and slammed the move. While some believe it was an ideal chance to groom Shubman Gill, former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly feels Ravindra Jadeja was the ideal candidate. 'There is Ravindra Jadeja, who has been there for a long time and a certainty in Test matches' "I won't say it's a step backwards. You have been out for 18 months, then you play a Test and you become a vice-captain. I don't understand the thought process behind it. There is Ravindra Jadeja, who has been there for a long time and a certainty in Test matches, he is a candidate." "....but to just come back and straightway become vice-captain after 18 months, I don't understand. My only thing is that selection shouldn't be hot and cold. There has to be continuity and consistency in selection," said Ganguly while talking to PTI. Also Read: Virat Kohli seemed possessed: R Ashwin recalls India's last-over win vs Pakistan in 2022 T20 WC Talking about the Test squad, the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ishan Kishan, Mukesh Kumar, Navdeep Saini, Ruturaj Gaikwad have been included, whereas Cheteshwar Pujara has been dropped after a poor run in the previous WTC cycle, including low returns in the finale. India's Test squad for West Indies tour: Rohit Sharma (Capt), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ajinkya Rahane (VC), KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, Navdeep Saini. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

'Don't understand...': Ganguly on Rahane's promotion as Test vice-captain, suggests ideal candidate

The International Cricket Council (ICC), on Tuesday (June 27), released the full schedule of the upcoming ODI World Cup, to be held in India later this year. As soon as the schedule got revealed, former cricketers and experts shared their take on it, predicted the top four, etc. Talking about Team India, the home side will kick off their campaign versus Australia, in Chennai, on October 08 with the tournament opener to be held on October 05, in Ahmedabad, between defending champions England and New Zealand.&nbsp;

At present, India have plenty of their star cricketers recovering from injuries -- such as Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer. Nonetheless, India still have a lot of firepower in their line-up with stars including captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, etc. The two-time winners will hope to get off to a fine start in the ten-team tournament and go the distance with an aim to win the ODI World Cup after 2011, when MS Dhoni-led India won the championship on home soil.

Rohit, at 36, and Kohli -- who is 34 -- are in the twilight of their respective careers and, thus, the 2023 ODI WC is expected to be their last in the showpiece event or overall. In this regard, it is expected that the rest of the team will gear up to give their all for the superstar duo Rohit and Kohli. Sourav Ganguly, India's former captain and BCCI President, shared his take on Rohit and Kohli's future after the schedule announcement.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/if-he-was-playing-wouldve-said-india-are-real-favourites-for-odi-wc-former-indian-opener-on-star-player-609533">If he was playing, would've said India are real favourites for ODI WC: Former Indian opener on star player</a>

"I don't believe too much in last time, first time. I believe in performances. I think they are 34-35, I don't know what's going to happen in the next World Cup. There are world tournaments every year - T20 cricket, 50-over cricket. It's not like as in the past when we started - one every four years and then the Champions Trophy came in. So it's about performances and I am sure Rohit as captain and Virat will be wanting to make it a big one not from a personal point of view but from winning it. I think that's the biggest," Ganguly told&nbsp;Star Sports.

Rohit and Kohli have been the backbone of Team India's batting order across formats for over a decade. The two will be desperate to lead the charge once again and take India to the title later this year in the ODI WC.&nbsp;

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The International Cricket Council (ICC), on Tuesday (June 27), released the full schedule of the upcoming ODI World Cup, to be held in India later this year. As soon as the schedule got revealed, former cricketers and experts shared their take on it, predicted the top four, etc.

The International Cricket Council (ICC), on Tuesday (June 27), released the full schedule of the upcoming ODI World Cup, to be held in India later this year. As soon as the schedule got revealed, former cricketers and experts shared their take on it, predicted the top four, etc. Talking about Team India, the home side will kick off their campaign versus Australia, in Chennai, on October 08 with the tournament opener to be held on October 05, in Ahmedabad, between defending champions England and New Zealand. At present, India have plenty of their star cricketers recovering from injuries -- such as Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer. Nonetheless, India still have a lot of firepower in their line-up with stars including captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, etc. The two-time winners will hope to get off to a fine start in the ten-team tournament and go the distance with an aim to win the ODI World Cup after 2011, when MS Dhoni-led India won the championship on home soil. Rohit, at 36, and Kohli -- who is 34 -- are in the twilight of their respective careers and, thus, the 2023 ODI WC is expected to be their last in the showpiece event or overall. In this regard, it is expected that the rest of the team will gear up to give their all for the superstar duo Rohit and Kohli. Sourav Ganguly, India's former captain and BCCI President, shared his take on Rohit and Kohli's future after the schedule announcement. Also Read: If he was playing, would've said India are real favourites for ODI WC: Former Indian opener on star player "I don't believe too much in last time, first time. I believe in performances. I think they are 34-35, I don't know what's going to happen in the next World Cup. There are world tournaments every year - T20 cricket, 50-over cricket. It's not like as in the past when we started - one every four years and then the Champions Trophy came in. So it's about performances and I am sure Rohit as captain and Virat will be wanting to make it a big one not from a personal point of view but from winning it. I think that's the biggest," Ganguly told Star Sports. Rohit and Kohli have been the backbone of Team India's batting order across formats for over a decade. The two will be desperate to lead the charge once again and take India to the title later this year in the ODI WC. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Will it be curtains for Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma after 2023 ODI World Cup? Sourav Ganguly shares his take

On Tuesday (June 27), the International Cricket Council (ICC) released the much-awaited full schedule of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 edition, to be held in India in October-November. Defending champions England will open their campaign versus New Zealand whereas hosts India will face Australia, in Chennai, on October 08 in their opening encounter. After the schedule was out, former cricketers and experts opined on every team's chances and Kris Srikkanth, part of Kapil Dev-led India's 1983 ODI World Cup win, made a big statement.

Srikkanth believes India will miss Rishabh Pant's services, who is unlikely to regain full fitness after a horrific car accident on December 30, 2022. "We don't know the real truth about Rishabh Pant. Because Rishabh Pant, if he was playing, I would have straightaway said that India are the real favourites for the World Cup. But I think obviously, Rishabh Pant's fitness is questionable. Nobody knows how fit will he be before the World Cup. I doubt it. Many people doubt if he will play the 2023 World Cup. Otherwise, the Rishabh Pant factor would have been very crucial," said Srikkanth while speaking to India Today.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nothing-bigger-than-odi-world-cup-it-is-the-olympics-of-cricket-says-former-indian-opener-virender-sehwag-609316">Nothing bigger than ODI World Cup, it is the Olympics of cricket, says former Indian opener Virender Sehwag</a>

However, Srikkanth was quick to add that Rohit Sharma-led Men in Blue have enough firepower to go the distance in the showpiece event in India. "So I believe guys like KL Rahul (who is recovering from a thigh injury) should be back in the middle order. KL Rahul has been fantastic. We have Rohit Sharma opening with Shubman Gill. Then we have Virat Kohli, who has been fantastic in this format and he has been in form. I believe India has got the capabilities of winning the World Cup," said Srikkanth.

At present, Indian players such as Pant, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer and Jasprit Bumrah are recovering from their respective injuries. While Pant is very much out of contention, as India would certainly not risk playing him soon even if he recovers fully, Rahul, Iyer and Bumrah are expected to regain fitness just before the ODI WC. In such a scenario, India will be in a tough spot as the trio won't be having enough game time heading into the World Cup.

India will open their campaign versus Australia, face Pakistan on October 15 in Ahmedabad, New Zealand on October 22 in Dharamshala, England on October 29 in Lucknow and South Africa on November 05 in Kolkata apart from also facing Afghanistan, Bangladesh and the other two teams from the qualifiers.

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On Tuesday (June 27), the International Cricket Council (ICC) released the much-awaited full schedule of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 edition, to be held in India in October-November.

On Tuesday (June 27), the International Cricket Council (ICC) released the much-awaited full schedule of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 edition, to be held in India in October-November. Defending champions England will open their campaign versus New Zealand whereas hosts India will face Australia, in Chennai, on October 08 in their opening encounter. After the schedule was out, former cricketers and experts opined on every team's chances and Kris Srikkanth, part of Kapil Dev-led India's 1983 ODI World Cup win, made a big statement. Srikkanth believes India will miss Rishabh Pant's services, who is unlikely to regain full fitness after a horrific car accident on December 30, 2022. "We don't know the real truth about Rishabh Pant. Because Rishabh Pant, if he was playing, I would have straightaway said that India are the real favourites for the World Cup. But I think obviously, Rishabh Pant's fitness is questionable. Nobody knows how fit will he be before the World Cup. I doubt it. Many people doubt if he will play the 2023 World Cup. Otherwise, the Rishabh Pant factor would have been very crucial," said Srikkanth while speaking to India Today. Also Read: Nothing bigger than ODI World Cup, it is the Olympics of cricket, says former Indian opener Virender Sehwag However, Srikkanth was quick to add that Rohit Sharma-led Men in Blue have enough firepower to go the distance in the showpiece event in India. "So I believe guys like KL Rahul (who is recovering from a thigh injury) should be back in the middle order. KL Rahul has been fantastic. We have Rohit Sharma opening with Shubman Gill. Then we have Virat Kohli, who has been fantastic in this format and he has been in form. I believe India has got the capabilities of winning the World Cup," said Srikkanth. At present, Indian players such as Pant, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer and Jasprit Bumrah are recovering from their respective injuries. While Pant is very much out of contention, as India would certainly not risk playing him soon even if he recovers fully, Rahul, Iyer and Bumrah are expected to regain fitness just before the ODI WC. In such a scenario, India will be in a tough spot as the trio won't be having enough game time heading into the World Cup. India will open their campaign versus Australia, face Pakistan on October 15 in Ahmedabad, New Zealand on October 22 in Dharamshala, England on October 29 in Lucknow and South Africa on November 05 in Kolkata apart from also facing Afghanistan, Bangladesh and the other two teams from the qualifiers. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

If he was playing, would've said India are real favourites for ODI WC: Former Indian opener on star player

India skipper Rohit Sharma has underlined the extent of the task his side could face as the schedule for the ODI World Cup was released on Tuesday, June 27. Two-time champions of the ODI World Cup, India will start their campaign against Australia on October 8 while their high-voltage clash against Pakistan will take place on Sunday, October 15. According to Rohit, the World Cup is going to be very competitive, while stating that it could be a good experience for everyone.

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🗣️🗣️ We look forward to preparing well and being at our best this October-November <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> Captain <a href="https://twitter.com/ImRo45?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ImRo45</a> is all in readiness ahead of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CWC23?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CWC23</a> 👌👌 <a href="https://t.co/ZlV8oNGJ04">pic.twitter.com/ZlV8oNGJ04</a>
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<h2>Rohit gears up for the World Cup</h2>

“It's going to be a great experience playing in the World Cup at home. India won here 12 years ago, and I know fans nationwide can't wait for us to take the field this time.

“This World Cup is going to be very competitive as the game has become faster and teams are playing more positively than ever before. All this augurs well for fans worldwide, promising them many thrilling moments.

“We look forward to preparing well and being at our best this October-November,” Rohit said while in conversation with bcci.tv.

India will be playing at nine different venues at the ODI World Cup this October and November with nine league matches on offer. The round-robin format will see India as one of the favourites to clinch the tournament. The last three editions of the ODI World Cup have been won by the host nations, including India in 2011. Rohit Sharma will look to replicate his form from the 2019 World Cup where he led the nation to the semifinal of the tournament.

<h2>Rohit’s incredible 2019 World Cup</h2>

In the 2019 edition of the World Cup, Rohit will be seen enjoying the form of his career as he struck five hundreds before India were eliminated in the semifinals stage by New Zealand. Rohit scored hundreds at four different grounds and ended as the tournament’s highest scorer with 648 runs in nine matches. The Mumbai Indians skipper missed one league match but still ended as the top scorer with an average of 81 and a best of 140 against Pakistan in Manchester. He also scored a fifty as well in the tournament to take his tally of fifty-plus scores to six.

<h2>Rohit Sharma's hundreds at 2019 World Cup</h2>

122 not out vs South Africa in Southampton

140 vs Pakistan in Manchester

102 vs England in Birmingham

104 vs Bangladesh in Birmingham

103 vs Sri Lanka in Leeds

Rohit will lead India into the World Cup having taken over as the permanent skipper of the side in the format in December 2021. If Rohit does guide India to World Cup glory, he will join the likes of Kapil Dev and MS Dhoni to have won the ODI World Cups for the nation.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-india-vs-pakistan-muttiah-muralitharan-names-the-match-he-is-looking-forward-to-in-odi-world-cup-609271">Not India vs Pakistan! Muttiah Muralitharan names the match he is looking forward to in ODI World Cup</a>

<h2>India’s Schedule at ODI World Cup</h2>

IND vs AUS: October 8, Chennai&nbsp;

IND vs AFG: October 11, Delhi

IND vs PAK: October 15, Ahmedabad&nbsp;

IND vs BAN: October 19, Pune

IND vs NZ: October 22, Dharamshala

IND vs ENG: October 29, Lucknow

IND vs QF2: November 2, Mumbai&nbsp;

IND vs SA: November 5, Kolkata

IND vs QF1: November 11, Bengaluru&nbsp;

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India skipper Rohit Sharma has underlined the extent of the task his side could face as the schedule for the ODI World Cup was released on Tuesday, June 27. Two-time champions of the ODI World Cup, India will start their campaign against Australia on October 8 while their high-voltage clash against Pakistan will take place on Sunday, October 15.

India skipper Rohit Sharma has underlined the extent of the task his side could face as the schedule for the ODI World Cup was released on Tuesday, June 27. Two-time champions of the ODI World Cup, India will start their campaign against Australia on October 8 while their high-voltage clash against Pakistan will take place on Sunday, October 15. According to Rohit, the World Cup is going to be very competitive, while stating that it could be a good experience for everyone. 🗣️🗣️ We look forward to preparing well and being at our best this October-November #TeamIndia Captain @ImRo45 is all in readiness ahead of the #CWC23 👌👌 pic.twitter.com/ZlV8oNGJ04 — BCCI (@BCCI) June 27, 2023 × Rohit gears up for the World Cup “It's going to be a great experience playing in the World Cup at home. India won here 12 years ago, and I know fans nationwide can't wait for us to take the field this time. “This World Cup is going to be very competitive as the game has become faster and teams are playing more positively than ever before. All this augurs well for fans worldwide, promising them many thrilling moments. “We look forward to preparing well and being at our best this October-November,” Rohit said while in conversation with bcci.tv. India will be playing at nine different venues at the ODI World Cup this October and November with nine league matches on offer. The round-robin format will see India as one of the favourites to clinch the tournament. The last three editions of the ODI World Cup have been won by the host nations, including India in 2011. Rohit Sharma will look to replicate his form from the 2019 World Cup where he led the nation to the semifinal of the tournament. Rohit’s incredible 2019 World Cup In the 2019 edition of the World Cup, Rohit will be seen enjoying the form of his career as he struck five hundreds before India were eliminated in the semifinals stage by New Zealand. Rohit scored hundreds at four different grounds and ended as the tournament’s highest scorer with 648 runs in nine matches. The Mumbai Indians skipper missed one league match but still ended as the top scorer with an average of 81 and a best of 140 against Pakistan in Manchester. He also scored a fifty as well in the tournament to take his tally of fifty-plus scores to six. Rohit Sharma's hundreds at 2019 World Cup 122 not out vs South Africa in Southampton 140 vs Pakistan in Manchester 102 vs England in Birmingham 104 vs Bangladesh in Birmingham 103 vs Sri Lanka in Leeds Rohit will lead India into the World Cup having taken over as the permanent skipper of the side in the format in December 2021. If Rohit does guide India to World Cup glory, he will join the likes of Kapil Dev and MS Dhoni to have won the ODI World Cups for the nation. ALSO READ | Not India vs Pakistan! Muttiah Muralitharan names the match he is looking forward to in ODI World Cup India’s Schedule at ODI World Cup IND vs AUS: October 8, Chennai IND vs AFG: October 11, Delhi IND vs PAK: October 15, Ahmedabad IND vs BAN: October 19, Pune IND vs NZ: October 22, Dharamshala IND vs ENG: October 29, Lucknow IND vs QF2: November 2, Mumbai IND vs SA: November 5, Kolkata IND vs QF1: November 11, Bengaluru WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

ODI World Cup: Rohit underlines big challenge before showpiece event - 'it is going to be very competitive'

On Friday (June 23), the BCCI selection committee named India's squads&nbsp;for their two-match Test series and three ODIs versus West Indies as the tour commences next month in the Caribbean. Rohit Sharma retained captaincy of the 16-man Test squad, despite criticism after India's WTC final loss, whereas Ajinkya Rahane regained the vice-captaincy post.

Rahane served as Virat Kohli's deputy in whites for a long time and even led the team with aplomb in his absence before losing the post in late 2021. Soon, he even lost his spot before making his comeback during the WTC finale versus Australia early this month, where he returned with a sublime 89 and 46. With injuries to Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant and Jasprit Bumrah, Rahane once again got the vice-captaincy back and Little Master Sunil Gavaskar reacted to the same.

Gavaskar said there is 'nothing wrong' in Rahane regaining vice-captaincy but feels there was an opportunity lost to name a youngster as Rohit's deputy for the Windies tour. Talking to Sports Today, he said, "There is nothing wrong in having him [Ajinkya Rahane] as the vice-captain, but a missed opportunity to groom a young player. At least, tell a young player that we are looking at you as a future captain. So, he starts to think as a future leader."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ashes-2023-james-anderson-nathan-lyon-throw-ceremonial-pitches-during-mlb-london-game-watch-608671">Ashes 2023: James Anderson, Nathan Lyon throw ceremonial pitches during MLB London game - WATCH</a>

<h2>'One is Shubman Gill and the other is....'</h2>

Further, Gavaskar named three youngsters who can lead India in whites going forward. "One is Shubman Gill and the other is Axar Patel [as future captains] because Axar comes in leaps and bounds, he just gets better every match. Giving him the responsibility as vice-captain will make them think. So, these are the two candidates in my view. If there are others, somebody like Ishan Kishan, once he cements his place in the team. He can come in the reckoning as well," the veteran added.

India's tour of West Indies kicks off on July 12, comprising two Tests, three ODIs and five T20Is.

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On Friday (June 23), the BCCI selection committee named India's squads for their two-match Test series and three ODIs versus West Indies as the tour commences next month in the Caribbean.

On Friday (June 23), the BCCI selection committee named India's squads for their two-match Test series and three ODIs versus West Indies as the tour commences next month in the Caribbean. Rohit Sharma retained captaincy of the 16-man Test squad, despite criticism after India's WTC final loss, whereas Ajinkya Rahane regained the vice-captaincy post. Rahane served as Virat Kohli's deputy in whites for a long time and even led the team with aplomb in his absence before losing the post in late 2021. Soon, he even lost his spot before making his comeback during the WTC finale versus Australia early this month, where he returned with a sublime 89 and 46. With injuries to Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant and Jasprit Bumrah, Rahane once again got the vice-captaincy back and Little Master Sunil Gavaskar reacted to the same. Gavaskar said there is 'nothing wrong' in Rahane regaining vice-captaincy but feels there was an opportunity lost to name a youngster as Rohit's deputy for the Windies tour. Talking to Sports Today, he said, "There is nothing wrong in having him [Ajinkya Rahane] as the vice-captain, but a missed opportunity to groom a young player. At least, tell a young player that we are looking at you as a future captain. So, he starts to think as a future leader." Also Read: Ashes 2023: James Anderson, Nathan Lyon throw ceremonial pitches during MLB London game - WATCH 'One is Shubman Gill and the other is....' Further, Gavaskar named three youngsters who can lead India in whites going forward. "One is Shubman Gill and the other is Axar Patel [as future captains] because Axar comes in leaps and bounds, he just gets better every match. Giving him the responsibility as vice-captain will make them think. So, these are the two candidates in my view. If there are others, somebody like Ishan Kishan, once he cements his place in the team. He can come in the reckoning as well," the veteran added. India's tour of West Indies kicks off on July 12, comprising two Tests, three ODIs and five T20Is. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Gavaskar opines on Rahane regaining vice-captaincy, suggests three names as India's next Test skipper

Indian cricket is not at its best at the moment. Talking about the senior men's team, they remain without an ICC title since 2013. Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. had a chance to end their trophy jinx in the recently-held WTC final versus Australia but they lost heavily by 209 runs. While team selection, injuries to key players and&nbsp;some strategies have been criticised, BCCI have also been slammed for India's busy calendar.

Moreover, the BCCI is yet to name the chief selector following Chetan Sharma's end of tenure in a controversial fashion early this year. At present,&nbsp;Shiv&nbsp;Sunder Das -- former Indian opener -- has been named the interim chief selector of the committee also featuring S Sharath (south), Subroto Banerjee (central) and Salil Ankola (west).&nbsp;

On Thursday (June 22), BCCI invited applicants from the north zone and the selected candidate is expected to be the new chairman of selectors. From north, big names such as Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh can be included but only Sehwag makes the cut as per his retirement year (2012). As per reports, he had been approached for the post but the former Indian batter was set to reject it citing salary issue.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virender-sehwag-eligible-to-become-chief-selector-unlikely-to-apply-due-to-this-reason-reports-607371">Virender Sehwag eligible to become chief selector, unlikely to apply due to THIS reason - Reports</a>

As per a&nbsp;TOI report, Sehwag was asked to comment on the speculations of being offered the top post. To this, the legendary cricketer replied saying "No". It is to be noted that a chief selector gets a salary of INR 1 crore (10 million) from the BCCI but since Sehwag earns a handsome amount being an analyst on various platforms, through promotional activities and his business, he is most likely to stay away from the high-pressure job.

BCCI's&nbsp;search for a right candidate for the top post continues with the ICC ODI World Cup set to start in October-November in India this year.

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Indian cricket is not at its best at the moment. Talking about the senior men's team, they remain without an ICC title since 2013. Rohit Sharma & Co. had a chance to end their trophy jinx in the recently-held WTC final versus Australia but they lost heavily by 209 runs.

Indian cricket is not at its best at the moment. Talking about the senior men's team, they remain without an ICC title since 2013. Rohit Sharma & Co. had a chance to end their trophy jinx in the recently-held WTC final versus Australia but they lost heavily by 209 runs. While team selection, injuries to key players and some strategies have been criticised, BCCI have also been slammed for India's busy calendar. Moreover, the BCCI is yet to name the chief selector following Chetan Sharma's end of tenure in a controversial fashion early this year. At present, Shiv Sunder Das -- former Indian opener -- has been named the interim chief selector of the committee also featuring S Sharath (south), Subroto Banerjee (central) and Salil Ankola (west). On Thursday (June 22), BCCI invited applicants from the north zone and the selected candidate is expected to be the new chairman of selectors. From north, big names such as Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh can be included but only Sehwag makes the cut as per his retirement year (2012). As per reports, he had been approached for the post but the former Indian batter was set to reject it citing salary issue. Also Read: Virender Sehwag eligible to become chief selector, unlikely to apply due to THIS reason - Reports As per a TOI report, Sehwag was asked to comment on the speculations of being offered the top post. To this, the legendary cricketer replied saying "No". It is to be noted that a chief selector gets a salary of INR 1 crore (10 million) from the BCCI but since Sehwag earns a handsome amount being an analyst on various platforms, through promotional activities and his business, he is most likely to stay away from the high-pressure job. BCCI's search for a right candidate for the top post continues with the ICC ODI World Cup set to start in October-November in India this year. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Former Indian opener Virender Sehwag reacts to rumours of being approached for chief selector’s post

Truly, Cheteshwar Pujara remains the last of the Test specialists in the modern era where batters do not hesitate to go bang-bang from the word go. In an&nbsp;era with unparallel demand&nbsp;for&nbsp;quick scoring, be it any format, Pujara remains one from the old school of cricket,&nbsp;making his presence more significant in the longer version of the game.&nbsp;

Nonetheless, whenever questions have been raised on India's famed batters' struggle for form, Pujara has been an easy target for critics. Call it his defensive approach, fitness issues, strike-rate woes (yes, even that is taken into account in red-ball cricket in modern times) or his stature being less than big-ticket players such as Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, the Saurashtra-born batter has more often than not paid the price.

However, Pujara also enjoyed a lengthy rope in India's Test squad despite dwindling returns since his standout performances in the 2018/19 series against hosts Australia. Since India's first-ever Test series win in Australia, where Pujara ended with 521 runs, including three hundreds, the right-hander has struggled for consistency. He has added only one more three-figure knock under his belt, which came last December in Bangladesh (102 not out).

Pujara has only struck 15 fifties, in 62 innings,&nbsp;since the 2018-19 Australia tour. Thus, a long run of below-par performances have hogged his esteemed Test career. India have been unlucky to witness the fall of Rahane, Kohli, and Pujara at the same time. But, the axe has only fallen on Rahane and Pujara. Interestingly,&nbsp;the latter was offered a central contract for October-September 2022-23, while Rahane wasn't. But Rahane will board India's flight for the West Indies, where they play two Tests starting on July 12, whereas Pujara has been dropped after the squad was announced on Friday (June 23).

In the 16-member squad, the BCCI selectors backed a plethora of youngsters, such as Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Mukesh Kumar, and Ishan Kishan.&nbsp;Thus, the transition period has certainly kicked off in India's Test line-up after the WTC final post-mortem (where India lost the Test mace to Australia by 209 runs earlier&nbsp;this month in London).&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-retains-captaincy-as-bcci-names-india-test-squad-for-wi-tour-pujara-dropped-jaiswal-ruturaj-included-607800">Rohit retains captaincy as BCCI names India Test squad for WI tour, Pujara dropped; Jaiswal, Ruturaj included</a>

Unsurprisingly, Pujara has been the first victim among batters as his twin failures in the WTC summit clash (with scores of 14 and 27) intensified his omission&nbsp;talks. We are in an era in world cricket where England's Bazball is headlining the format. Ben Stokes-Brendon McCullum-led England have adopted a fearless approach, batting&nbsp;at over 4.5 runs per over (RPO), and coming up with funky field sets. With India losing the WTC final twice in a row, tough decisions were set to be made. In this aspect, Pujara's slow-burn approach has been overlooked.

Pujara's approach has resulted in many hard-fought and dominating wins for Team India in whites since his debut in 2010. He has stood rock solid and bailed India out of the crisis by taking body blows, concentrating hard on each ball, and trusting his defence. However, his methods have been proven outdated with the rise of young blokes (Jaiswal, Gaikwad, Sarfaraz Khan, etc.). Pujara has never been the quickest between wickets. Age is also not on his side&nbsp;(he is 35). On the other hand,&nbsp;Rahane's 89 and 46 and Kohli's 49 (not that his place will&nbsp;ever come under the scanner) in the WTC final coincided with&nbsp;his flop show,&nbsp;leading to his exit.

It is to be noted that&nbsp;Pujara's numbers versus spin aren't encouraging. He has never been comfortable against the moving deliveries but&nbsp;has also been dismissed by spinners on 19 occasions since 2019 (scoring 910 at a decent 47.89). He averaged over 70 (71.51) versus the spin bowlers from 2010-2018. One might say it is a lost battle now. However, never say never. Rahane wasn't even in India's WTC final scheme of things till Shreyas Iyer got injured. Now, he has regained the vice-captaincy tag for the West Indies series.

Overall, Pujara's road ahead looks extremely tough. As per reports in the Times of India, he is set to feature in this year's Duleep Trophy. His appetite for runs, hunger for batting, and love for Test cricket is second to none. Thus, Pujara's days are not over yet. He is a fighter by all means. The right-hander won't back down so easily. Nonetheless, his current omission looks like a start towards the future.&nbsp;Given his below-par returns since 2019, playing style, and fitness, it does seem&nbsp;to be the right call.

Thus,&nbsp;the phasing out of seniors has begun with Pujara's ouster. India will kick off their all-format tour of the West Indies on July 12. They play two Tests, on July 12 and July 20.&nbsp;

TEST Squad:&nbsp;Rohit Sharma (Capt), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ajinkya Rahane (VC), KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), R Ashwin,&nbsp;R Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, Navdeep Saini.

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Truly, Cheteshwar Pujara remains the last of the Test specialists in the modern era where batters do not hesitate to go bang-bang from the word go. In an era with unparallel demand for quick scoring, be it any format, Pujara remains one from the old school of cricket, making his presence more significant in the longer version of the game.

Truly, Cheteshwar Pujara remains the last of the Test specialists in the modern era where batters do not hesitate to go bang-bang from the word go. In an era with unparallel demand for quick scoring, be it any format, Pujara remains one from the old school of cricket, making his presence more significant in the longer version of the game. Nonetheless, whenever questions have been raised on India's famed batters' struggle for form, Pujara has been an easy target for critics. Call it his defensive approach, fitness issues, strike-rate woes (yes, even that is taken into account in red-ball cricket in modern times) or his stature being less than big-ticket players such as Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, the Saurashtra-born batter has more often than not paid the price. However, Pujara also enjoyed a lengthy rope in India's Test squad despite dwindling returns since his standout performances in the 2018/19 series against hosts Australia. Since India's first-ever Test series win in Australia, where Pujara ended with 521 runs, including three hundreds, the right-hander has struggled for consistency. He has added only one more three-figure knock under his belt, which came last December in Bangladesh (102 not out). Pujara has only struck 15 fifties, in 62 innings, since the 2018-19 Australia tour. Thus, a long run of below-par performances have hogged his esteemed Test career. India have been unlucky to witness the fall of Rahane, Kohli, and Pujara at the same time. But, the axe has only fallen on Rahane and Pujara. Interestingly, the latter was offered a central contract for October-September 2022-23, while Rahane wasn't. But Rahane will board India's flight for the West Indies, where they play two Tests starting on July 12, whereas Pujara has been dropped after the squad was announced on Friday (June 23). In the 16-member squad, the BCCI selectors backed a plethora of youngsters, such as Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Mukesh Kumar, and Ishan Kishan. Thus, the transition period has certainly kicked off in India's Test line-up after the WTC final post-mortem (where India lost the Test mace to Australia by 209 runs earlier this month in London). Also Read: Rohit retains captaincy as BCCI names India Test squad for WI tour, Pujara dropped; Jaiswal, Ruturaj included Unsurprisingly, Pujara has been the first victim among batters as his twin failures in the WTC summit clash (with scores of 14 and 27) intensified his omission talks. We are in an era in world cricket where England's Bazball is headlining the format. Ben Stokes-Brendon McCullum-led England have adopted a fearless approach, batting at over 4.5 runs per over (RPO), and coming up with funky field sets. With India losing the WTC final twice in a row, tough decisions were set to be made. In this aspect, Pujara's slow-burn approach has been overlooked. Pujara's approach has resulted in many hard-fought and dominating wins for Team India in whites since his debut in 2010. He has stood rock solid and bailed India out of the crisis by taking body blows, concentrating hard on each ball, and trusting his defence. However, his methods have been proven outdated with the rise of young blokes (Jaiswal, Gaikwad, Sarfaraz Khan, etc.). Pujara has never been the quickest between wickets. Age is also not on his side (he is 35). On the other hand, Rahane's 89 and 46 and Kohli's 49 (not that his place will ever come under the scanner) in the WTC final coincided with his flop show, leading to his exit. It is to be noted that Pujara's numbers versus spin aren't encouraging. He has never been comfortable against the moving deliveries but has also been dismissed by spinners on 19 occasions since 2019 (scoring 910 at a decent 47.89). He averaged over 70 (71.51) versus the spin bowlers from 2010-2018. One might say it is a lost battle now. However, never say never. Rahane wasn't even in India's WTC final scheme of things till Shreyas Iyer got injured. Now, he has regained the vice-captaincy tag for the West Indies series. Overall, Pujara's road ahead looks extremely tough. As per reports in the Times of India, he is set to feature in this year's Duleep Trophy. His appetite for runs, hunger for batting, and love for Test cricket is second to none. Thus, Pujara's days are not over yet. He is a fighter by all means. The right-hander won't back down so easily. Nonetheless, his current omission looks like a start towards the future. Given his below-par returns since 2019, playing style, and fitness, it does seem to be the right call. Thus, the phasing out of seniors has begun with Pujara's ouster. India will kick off their all-format tour of the West Indies on July 12. They play two Tests, on July 12 and July 20. TEST Squad: Rohit Sharma (Capt), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ajinkya Rahane (VC), KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, Navdeep Saini. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Explained: India tour of WI | Sympathies with Cheteshwar Pujara but the right call made

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