India names 15-man Test squad for WI series, Pant out, Jadeja deputy

The Board of Control for Cricket in India on Thursday named a 15‑member Test squad for the two‑match series against the West Indies, which begins on October 2 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad and concludes at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on October 10. Shubman Gill will continue as captain and Ravindra Jadeja has been appointed vice‑captain in the absence of wicketkeeper‑batter Rishabh Pant, who remains sidelined by a fractured foot sustained during the England tour.

The squad is a largely familiar unit from the England tour but includes several notable changes. Devdutt Padikkal has been recalled to the red‑ball side after scoring 150 for India A in an unofficial Test, while Axar Patel and Nitish Kumar Reddy return to bolster spin and all‑round options. The pace attack is led by Jasprit Bumrah alongside Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna, with Kuldeep Yadav the sole specialist wrist spinner. Dhruv Jurel is the first‑choice wicketkeeper, with Narayan Jagadeesan named as reserve.

Chief selector Ajit Agarkar, who chaired the selection meeting, said Pant had not recovered sufficiently to be available for the Windies series but expressed hope he will be fit for India’s...