India Tour of West Indies: India will start practice for Test Series from Today

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has recently announced the squad for the Indian cricket team's upcoming tour of West Indies in 2023. The tour will consist of two Test matches, three ODIs, and five T20 matches. The Indian team has already arrived in West Indies, although some players are yet to join. Shubman Gill and Mohammed Siraj have arrived in the West Indies and have shared the stories on Instagram while Ishan Kishan shared the pictures. The team will begin their practice sessions for the Test series today, July 2nd. Captain Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal have also reached West Indies and are ready to start training with the team.

Captain Rohit Sharma has joined the West Indies tour after a slight delay caused by his family vacation abroad. The Indian team is now focused on their practice sessions, where they will be putting in a lot of effort in the nets. Before the Test series, the team will also play a practice match. The first Test match between India and West Indies is scheduled for 12th July. Additionally, this series marks the beginning of the new cycle of the World Test Championship for 2023-2024, as India had faced defeat against Australia in the previous WTC final in 2023.

The BCCI has provided opportunities to young players such as Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal to play against West Indies. In addition, they have decided to exclude Cheteshwar Pujara from the team. It is uncertain whether Pujara will be given a chance to return. Both Gaikwad and Jaiswal are highly skilled and capable of taking on the responsibility. Furthermore, Captain Rohit Sharma is definitely considering giving these young players a chance.

A Warm-up Camp and Practice Match
Before the start of the Test series, the Indian team will have a 10-day camp in Barbados to acclimatize themselves to the conditions. In addition to the camp, India will also play a two-day practice match at Kensington Oval on July 5th and 6th. This match will serve as a crucial warm-up for the team, allowing them to fine-tune their skills and strategies before the series begins.

The Challenge of the World Test Championship
The tour of the West Indies marks the beginning of India's journey in the World Test Championship (WTC) cycle 2023-2025. After their impressive performance in the WTC final against Australia, where they narrowly missed out on the title, the Indian team is determined to start the new cycle on a positive note. On the other hand, the West Indies, who last played a Test series against South Africa, will be eager to put up a strong fight and make their mark in the championship.

Head-to-Head Battle
India and the West Indies have a long-standing cricketing rivalry, having faced each other in 52 Test matches. The West Indies have been dominant in this battle, winning 30 matches, while India has emerged victorious on 22 occasions. The last Test series between these two teams took place in 2019, with India sweeping the Windies aside with a 2-0 margin. This time around, Rohit Sharma and his team have the upper hand, but they cannot afford to be complacent, especially with the absence of experienced pacers like Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah.

The Pace Attack Challenge
With the absence of Shami and Bumrah, the responsibility of leading the Indian pace attack falls on the shoulders of Mohammed Siraj. While Siraj has shown promise in his previous outings, the lack of experience in the pace department could pose a challenge for India. However, they do have a supporting cast of talented bowlers like Shardul Thakur, Jaydev Unadkat, Navdeep Saini, and Mukesh Kumar, who will be looking to make their mark in the series.

The Indian Test Squad
The Indian Test squad for the West Indies tour is a mix of experienced players and promising youngsters. Rohit Sharma will lead the team, with Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Virat Kohli providing the batting firepower. Ajinkya Rahane will serve as the vice-captain, while KS Bharat and Ishan Kishan will handle the wicketkeeping duties. The squad also includes the spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, who have been instrumental in India's recent success in Test cricket.

India’s Test squad: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), KS Bharat (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, Navdeep Saini.

Exciting Times Ahead
The India tour of the West Indies promises to be an exciting cricket showdown between two talented teams. With the Indian team aiming to make a strong start in the World Test Championship cycle and the West Indies eager to showcase their skills, fans can expect some thrilling moments on the field. As the players prepare themselves through the camp and practice match, cricket enthusiasts eagerly await the start of the series on July 12.