Dubai: Nitish Kumar Reddy and Devdutt Padikkal earned recalls to the Indian Test squad for the upcoming two-match series against the West Indies, while Karun Nair was dropped despite scoring a fifty in the final Test against England.
The selectors, led by Ajit Agarkar, also named Ravindra Jadeja as Shubman Gill’s deputy, with Rishabh Pant yet to regain full fitness. Pant is expected to return for the South Africa Tests later this year.
Nair’s omission came after a middling series against England, where the 33-year-old managed just 205 runs in four Tests. His comeback to the Indian side followed nearly eight years of toil in domestic cricket, but the selectors were left wanting more.
“Frankly, we expected a bit more from Karun on the England trip,” Agarkar said.
When asked why Sai Sudharsan was preferred despite having a similar run to Nair in England, Agarkar pointed to the importance of continuity.
“Eventually, it’s about continuity,” he said. “There were a few changes at No. 3 because of the combinations we played. But going forward, Sai has shown a lot of promise. We know he’s a very good player, and hopefully, we can give him a longer run at a set position from now on.”
Padikkal, who struck a half-century in the Dharamshala Test against England and was part of the Australia tour, has been rewarded for his red-hot form, including a commanding 150 against Australia A in Lucknow.
“We feel Padikkal offers a little bit more at this point,” Agarkar explained. “I wish we could give everyone 15 or 20 Tests, but unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way.”
Reddy’s selection as a batting all-rounder at No. 6 underlines his growing value.
Padikkal’s ability to bat at Nos. 3, 4, or 6, along with Reddy’s all-round skills, offers India flexibility in team combinations. “If Reddy develops into the all-rounder we’re looking for, it gives you a lot of flexibility with the XIs you pick,” Agarkar noted.
Abhimanyu Easwaran has been left out, with KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal locking down the opening slots.
The selectors have instead opted for Axar Patel to bolster the spin-bowling all-round options, with Easwaran available as a backup if required.
Meanwhile, Sarfaraz Khan misses out due to injury.
In good news for India, Jasprit Bumrah is fit and available for both Tests after a five-week break following the England series. “He didn’t play the fifth Test either, so he’s had a decent break,” Agarkar confirmed.
Agarkar was asked about Mohammed Shami’s status. He sounded a little bemused when he said, “I don’t have an update. He’s played a couple of matches. But he’s not had a lot of cricket.”
Test squad: Shubman Gill (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravindra Jadeja (VC), Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, N Jagadeesan (WK), Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav.
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