(Cricket news) India are now all set to take on West Indies for a 2-match Test series which will be the first one for the 2023-25 World Test Championship. Despite disappointing performances in the last two WTC finals, they have made it to the finals and they will be hoping to do the same in 2025. The selectors have dropped Cheteshwar Pujara while senior pacers Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav are also not in the squad. The series will be very crucial for the men in blue as many eyebrows will be raised if India don’t win as the selection calls have been questionable.

The exclusion of Cheteshwar Pujara leaves a gap at number 3 which India need to fill. Instead of Pujara India have selected Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad who are both openers in domestic cricket. One of the newcomers will most likely be playing and Jaiswal is probably ahead of Gaikwad because of his domestic record and recent form. Either Jaiswal will bat at number 3 or Shubman Gill will be pushed down the order. Either way, the goal is for India’s top and middle order to start scoring consistently again. In the last cycle, the bowlers and the lower middle order in carried the team in many ways which is concerning

Virat Kohli’s performance will also be under the scanner as his form has been similar to that of Pujara but he has kept his place. Mohammed Siraj will lead the pace bowling department and he will have the responsibility of being the strike bowler. It will be interesting to see whether Ravichandran Ashwin finds a place in the XI or if India once again go with 4 pace bowlers. India need a dominant performance to bounce back from the disappointing WTC final performance.

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