The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the 15-member squad for the upcoming Test series against the West Indies. Shubman Gill will lead the side for the first time in a home Test series, while Ravindra Jadeja has been named vice-captain in the absence of Rishabh Pant, who continues to recover from injury. However, the announcement brought disappointment for several players, as five names were excluded from the squad, while one senior batter made himself unavailable.

Among the notable omissions is Karun Nair, who was part of the England tour but managed only one half-century in four Tests. His inconsistent performances cost him a place in the team. Abhimanyu Easwaran, who has often traveled with the squad but rarely made it to the playing XI, faced a similar fate. He remained on the bench throughout the England series and has now been left out again, with selectors indicating that a third opener isn’t required for the home Tests.

Pacer Akash Deep, who impressed during the England tour, has also been overlooked. Instead, Prasidh Krishna has been given the nod, while Akash Deep will now represent the Rest of India in the Irani Trophy. Shardul Thakur, who had a quiet outing in England with just two wickets in two Tests and little contribution with the bat, has also been dropped. Another youngster, Anshul Kamboj, who made his debut in the Manchester Test and picked up only one wicket, has been excluded as well.

Adding to the list, middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer opted out of the West Indies series. Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar confirmed that Iyer, citing fitness concerns, requested a break from red-ball cricket. Agarkar also noted that had he been fully fit, Iyer would have been part of the squad.

With these changes, the selectors have focused on a balanced squad featuring both experienced names and promising youngsters as India prepares to host the West Indies in a two-Test series starting October 2.