The BCCI announced India’s 15-member squad for the upcoming two-match Test series against the West Indies, set to begin on October 2 in Ahmedabad. Shubman Gill will lead the team as captain, with Ravindra Jadeja named his deputy.
Notable changes include Devdutt Padikkal replacing Karun Nair, who was dropped following an underwhelming performance in England. Meanwhile, Rishabh Pant remains unavailable due to injury and is expected to return for the home Tests against South Africa.
India’s opener will take place at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, followed by the second Test at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi. This series marks India’s first home Test campaign since their 3-0 defeat to New Zealand last November, the first whitewash suffered at home since 2000.
Ajit Agarkar, chairman of selectors, highlighted Padikkal’s selection, noting his consistent performances for India A and prior appearances in Australia and Dharamsala. Other key players named include KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and N Jagadeesan.
The team currently in the UAE for the Asia Cup 2025, where they have already reached the final, will have a short turnaround before focusing on red-ball cricket. Gill, who led India on the recent England tour, now faces the challenge of commanding a home Test side in familiar conditions — managing spinners, pacers, and tactical deployments critical to India’s success.
