India's probable Test squad for home series against West Indies

After the days of non-stop entertaining Test cricket, India, on Tuesday, finished the England tour by facing 4-1 series defeat.

Result wise it sounded like a one-sided series, however, if one sticks to multiple angles, it definitely was a full-packed Test cricket contest, which could be well sorted as none of the five matches ended in a draw.

Now the next Test assignment for India is at home, with West Indies coming for a long tour. The tour is set to start with a two-match Test series from 4th of October at Saurashtra.

Multiple things came forward after the exclusion of the England tour as several players finished with the forgettable performances. Due to which, we might see a different Indian squad for the West Indies series.

In this piece, we tried to predict the best possible squad, India might choose for the 2-match Test series against West Indies:

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#OPENERS

Faiz Fazal

Poor opening stand's troubled India largely in the England tour. They tried multiple combinations but none of them came out with good results.

India started with Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan and later tried Murali Vijay and Kl Rahul while at last went with Kl Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan. All of them had an unsatisfactory tour, which might cost them an axe in the West Indies tour.

Kl Rahul's last knock of 149 runs probably owned him the place for Windies Test series while young Prithvi Shaw who was included in the India squad for last 2 Test too would get a go.

Apart from these two, India could call-up domestic performers like Faiz Fazal and Abhinav Mukund. Both recently led India Blue and Red sides in the Duleep Trophy and have been playing some phenomenal cricket at domestic level. Both or one of them might surely get a go in the coming Test series.

#MIDDLE ORDER

Mayank

Middle Order has been a concern for India for a long time now, particularly in Test cricket. Skipper Virat Kohli spearheads the department and seldom disappoints his team with the bat, nonetheless, others too need to support him in order to produce better results.

West Indies tour would be a chance worth grabbing for Chesteshwar Pujara who hasn't been in good touch recently while another experienced campaigner Ajinkya Rahane might be dropped from the squad, with a lot of players waiting in queue for a chance.

Karun Nair who despite being in the squad didn't appear in any match during England tour would be the man-to-watch in the tour while Mayank Agarwal, the most successful batsman of the 2017-18 domestic season has been consistently knocking the doors of the national team and is expected to make it to the squad for West Indies series.

#WICKETKEEPER(s)

Rishabh Pant

India had gone with two wicket-keepers for England tour in the likes of Dinesh Karthik and Rishabh Pant. Former played the first two matches and wasn't successful enough so did the later in 3rd and 4th Test.

Meanwhile, Pant who was decent behind the stumps made his maiden Test hundred in the fifth Test. Owing to which, India would probably stick with him for the upcoming tour as well.

However, Wridhiman Saha who served India behind the stumps for a long time too has recovered from his injury, so could also be brought back in the side.

Either of the two will keep the wickets for India in the West Indies tour.

#ALLROUNDERS

Hanuman Vihari

Hardik Pandya has been filling the all-rounder's berth in the team for a long time now. He wasn't that successful in England tour but India might continue with him, bound to the overall record he owns in Test cricket.

The youngster, Hanuman Vihari who had a dream debut in the fifth Test would like to cement his place in the side during Windies series.

After a long wait, he was given the chance in the National team, which he grabbed with both the hands by scoring a fifty in his debut innings and 3 wicket haul in the 2nd, including the wicket of legendary Alaister Cook.

#SPINNERS

Shahbaz Nadeem

Ravichandran Ashwin bowled beautifully in the England series, yet injured himself in the midway of the tour. He is always the first choice when it comes to spinners, though it would be interesting to see whether he recovers before the Windies series or not.

His partner, Ravindra Jadeja who just played one match in England where he stole the show by claiming 7 wicket haul and an unbeaten 86 run knock in the first innings. He wasn't in the limelight before this Test and West Indies tour would be an opportunity for him to prove himself again.

The lone chinaman bowler, Kuldeep Yadav who shared a lot of success recently will be handy for India at home with his void variations.

Another consistent domestic performer, highest wicket-taker of Ranji Trophy 206-17, Shahbaz Nadeem could also be tried for the series as the left-arm bowler provided India 'A' with vital breakthroughs in the ongoing series.

#SEAMERS

Jasprit Bumrah

Seam bowlers scalping wickets at regular intervals were one of the major positives for India in England tour and they would be aiming to repeat same during the home series as well.

Jasprit Bumrah who was quite successful in England would head the pace-battery of India in the Windies tour along experienced Ishant Sharma, who too did pretty well with the ball in the series.

The third seamer would probably be furious Umesh Yadav. He has been lethal for India mostly at home while Shardul Thakur who accompanied the team in England will also be tested during home series against West Indies.

So, the squad sums up as:

Prithvi Shaw, Kl Rahul, Faiz Fazal/Abhinav Mukund, Chesteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli(C), Karun Nair, Mayank Agarwal, Rishabh Pant/Wriddhiman Saha(WK), Hardik Pandya, Hanuman Vihari, Ravi Ashwin/Shahbaz Nadeem, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav/Shardul Thakur