Huge injury blow for WI, India star's surprise f-c retirement and more - Cricket News Today, 3rd November 2018

With the T20I series between India and West Indies set to get underway at Kolkata on Sunday, all eyes were on the team for the encounter. While India announced their starting 12 for the first T20I, which will be under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, the visitors got some bad news ahead of the series.

There was also a surprise announcement from a current Indian batsman, which came out of the blue. And a former Indian batsman, Virender Sehwag announced that he had decided to part ways with Kings XI Punjab ahead of IPL 2019.

Here are all of today's important developments from the cricket world.

Andre Russell ruled out of T20I series

Already without Chris Gayle and Evin Lewis, West Indies suffered another major blow ahead of the T20I series against India as all-rounder Andre Russell has now been ruled out of the tournament.

Earlier there were reports that the hadn't yet arrived in the country and his participation in the first T20I on Sunday were doubtful but now he will miss the entire series. He was one of seven players, who were scheduled to arrive in the last three days but he was absent during the training sessions that took place in his home ground in the IPL, Eden Gardens.

West Indies chairman of selectors Courtney Browne confirmed that the all-rounder was injured but didn't specify the nature of the injury. He was earlier not picked in the ODI squad, because he was "ruled out of all 50-over cricket due to injury".

The all-rounder featured in the CPL for Jamaica Tallawahs before featuring for the Nangarhar Leopards in the Afghanistan Premier League for just one game before leaving the tournament early with a knee injury.

Ambati Rayudu announces first-class retirement

Rayudu will continue to play white ball cricket for Hyderabad

While many were waiting for Rayudu to show up for Hyderabad's second Ranji Trophy game of the season against Tamil Nadu, the Indian batsman surprised everyone by announcing his retirement from the longest format of the game. He expressed his intention in a letter to the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA).

In a letter to the HCA, Rayudu wrote: "I will continue to play international and domestic matches of the shorter version. And, I take this opportunity to thank the BCCI, HCA, Baroda Cricket Association and also Vidarbha Cricket Association for giving me the opportunities over the years.

"It has always been an honour to play for Hyderabad and I can never forget the kind of support I got from all those here, including my fellow players, coaches and the officials. And especially, the way I was welcomed back into the BCCI fold after the stint in the rebel ICL," he added.

Although he never featured for India in the longest format of the game, he played 97 first-class matches, scoring over 6,000 runs at an average of over 45 with 16 centuries.

Dhoni will be missed, says Rohit

Dhoni isn't part of the T20I squad to face WI

Ahead of the T20I series against West Indies, stand-in skipper Rohit Sharma admitted that MS Dhoni will be missed but added that the series will provide a platform several players to audition for a spot in the World Cup squad.

"Dhoni has been a massive player for us over the years without a doubt. His experience in the middle will be missed. But again, Rishabh and Dinesh are both keepers and they have this great opportunity to come and perform and show [us] what they're capable of," said Rohit ahead of the first T20I at Kolkata.

"Resting players and giving some players break is also necessary keeping in mind their workload, keeping in mind the World Cup ahead, we have to take those necessary steps. But at the same time, we have to see the guys who're knocking the doors, to see what they bring to the table.

"Come World Cup, we should be prepared in terms of not just 15 but we got to see what is outside of this 15-player [circle] we have. And there are a lot of faces. Shahbaz Nadeem has come into the team for the first time, Krunal [Pandya] was part of the team [in England] but didn't [get to] play any games. We've got to see what they have in their armoury for us to understand and make the best possible squad for the World Cup," he added.