With BCCI set to exchange two selectors within the present committee, the squad announcement for the IND vs WI Take a look at sequence might take a success.
Even as the India Cricket Team will temporarily shift focus to T20Is for the Asia Cup 2025, they will promptly return to Test cricket. The IND vs WI Test series, part of the WTC cycle, will begin on October 2, just four days after the Asia Cup final. However, the India squad for the West Indies Test series could be delayed to September last week. The reason? The BCCI is in the process of finalising the selection committee.
While Ajit Agarkar, the chairman of the BCCI Selection Committee, will remain in his position, two new selectors will come in. It is still unclear who would be replaced. But Shiv Sundar Das, Subroto Banerjee or Sridharan Sharath will likely be replaced. With two changes in the selection committee, the squad selection could be delayed. The interview process of the selectors takes about two weeks to complete.
“We still have a month to go and since this is a home series, it won’t be an issue. The ideal situation would be to onboard the new selectors before announcing the Test squad. But if the process takes time, the current committee will announce the squad in the second or third week,” a BCCI official told InsideSport.
BCCI Selection Committee
- Chairman: Ajit Agarkar (West Zone)
- Member: Shiv Sundar Das (Central Zone)
- Member: Subroto Banerjee (East Zone)
- Member: Ajay Ratra (North Zone)
- Member: Sridharan Sharath (South Zone)
India Squad for West Indies Test series
However, if the interview process takes longer than expected, considering September is also a festive month, the current selection committee will finalise the squad by the third week. While not many changes are expected in the Test team from the squad that drew against England away, Shreyas Iyer and Karun Nair would dominate discussions. The selectors will also have to take a call on Jasprit Bumrah, who would feature in the Asia Cup.
Nair, who made a comeback to the Test side in England after eight years, failed to make a mark. He scored just one fifty in eight innings, averaging 25.62 on pitches that were aiding batters. He got the nod after a stellar domestic season ahead of Shreyas Iyer. However, with Nair’s stocks quickly falling, Iyer did wonders with the bat in IPL 2025. With Iyer set to play in the Duleep Trophy, if he scores well, he could seek a comeback in the IND vs WI Test. That could also end Nair’s comeback with Sarfaraz Khan and Devdutt Padikkal waiting in the wings.
The selectors are also keeping a tab on Rishabh Pant’s fitness. Pant, who fractured his foot in England, is still recovering. With a month to go for the Test series, Pant hasn’t even started walking without the cast. Hence, it is likely that Pant will miss out on the IND vs WI Test series. That would give Dhruv Jurel another chance, while Ishan Kishan and N Jagadeesan will fight for the backup keeper’s role.
The workload of all pacers will be closely monitored as India will leave for Australia for a white-ball series a day after the Test series ends.
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