BCCI set to announce squad for West Indies Tour; Pujara to be dropped from Test team

BCCI set to announce squad for West Indies Tour; Pujara to be dropped from Test team

After the embarrassing loss in the World Test Championship final, it is believed that the Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) will be bringing major changes to the Test squad. As reported by Cricbuzz, only a couple of players are set to be rested or dropped, and importantly, Rohit Sharma is set to continue as India’s Test captain in the foreseeable future.

As per the report, four out of the top five batsmen retain their place in the batting lineup. Rohit, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, and Ajinkya Rahane are certain to retain their places in the squad for the two Test matches in West Indies, but a question mark hangs over Cheteshwar Pujara, who is plagued with a drop in form.

Cheteshwar Pujara has been Team India’s wall in the red-ball format for over a decade. But lately, the right-hander has witnessed a dip in form. The Saurashtra-based batsman has scored only one century in 52 innings (28 Tests) since 2020 at a disappointing average of 29.69. While he has registered 11 half-centuries, his average further drops to 26.31 when his scores of 90 and 102* in the Chittagong Test in December 2022 are excluded.

SS Ton Cricket Bat

Pujara’s shot selection and his strike rate have garnered a lot of criticism with many former cricketers believing the right-hander needs to call it a time from the Test format.

In addition, Mohammad Shami who has been in exceptional touch will be rested for the Test series. The veteran fast bowler may return for the ODIs that follow the two Tests in view of the World Cup later this year. Arshdeep Singh and Umran Malik who have impressed everyone with their talent will likely be included in the 2 Test series.

KS Bharat, who showed exceptional skills behind the stumps will retain his position in the squad. Additionally, Ishan Kishan will also be included in the Test squad as a backup keeper.

Brian Lara joins West Indies management as 'performance mentor'

Former Windies great Brian Lara appointed as “performance mentor” of the Windies squad

Former West Indies legend Brian Lara has been appointed as the “performance mentor” who will be working with the international squad as well as the academy. The left-hander will assist the various coaches with regard to “providing players with tactical advice and improving their game sense.” Additionally, he will be working with Jimmy Adams, the Director of Cricket, West Indies, on ICC World Cup tournament strategic planning.

Upon the announcement, Lara said, “Having spent time with the players and coaches in Australia and in discussions with CWI, I really believe that I can help the players with their mental approach to the game and with their tactics to be more successful.”

Brian Lara was recently appointed on a CWI review panel following their early exit from the 2022 T20 World Cup. The stylish left-hander was previously a part of the Indian Premier League team Sunrisers Hyderabad coaching staff.

After the announcement, Jimmy Adams, Director of Cricket, West Indies, stated, “I am really looking forward to Brian making a significant contribution to our cricket system by providing invaluable guidance and advice to our players and coaches.” He further added, “We are confident that Brian will help to improve our high-performance mindset and strategic culture that will bring us more success on the field across all formats. Everyone is excited to have Brian involved in supporting our players.”

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