Dubai: The Indian cricket team’s Test squad for the forthcoming series against the West Indies has been revealed, with several players from the recent England tour omitted for various reasons. Notably, Karun Nair, who made a return during the England series, has been dropped after a lackluster performance that saw him score only one half-century in eight innings across five matches.
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar addressed Nair’s exclusion, implying that his chances may be dwindling. “We expected more from Karun Nair. It can’t be just one innings. Devdutt Padikkal offers more. We would like to give 15-20 chances to everyone, but it is not possible in these circumstances,” Agarkar stated during a press conference.
In the series in England, Nair accumulated 205 runs in eight innings at an average of 25.62, with his highest score being 57. This performance did not meet the selectors’ expectations, which likely influenced his absence from the latest squad.
In a related development, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that Shreyas Iyer will take a six-month break from red-ball cricket. Iyer is still recovering from back issues despite having undergone surgery in the UK, leading to his exclusion from both the Irani Cup and the Test series against the West Indies.
“Shreyas is a senior player. He was the captain for India A as well. We’re trying to cultivate leadership qualities in multiple players. Unfortunately, he wouldn’t be available because of his fitness. More than anything, we want him playing and playing well,” Agarkar remarked, addressing Iyer’s situation.
