Wasim Jaffer selects his Indian XI for 1st Test vs West Indies; leaves out KS Bharat

Ahead of the first Test between India and West Indies, former cricketer Wasim Jaffer took to his Twitter account to share his playing XI that the Men in Blue should opt for.

He picked Ishan Kishan for the role of wicketkeeper-batter ahead of incumbent KS Bharat, who has had an eight-match run in India's red-ball team since Rishabh Pant's injury.

However, Jaffer indicated that Kishan should be handed an opportunity against the West Indies. He also named two spin bowling options, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin, while Mukesh Kumar, Mohammed Siraj, and Jaydev Unadkat were his preferred pacers.

In the batting department, Wasim Jaffer slotted Shubman Gill at the vacant No.3 spot and selected Yashasvi Jaiswal as skipper Rohit Sharma's new opening partner.

Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane, who appear to be sure starters, were the No.4 and No.5 in Wasim Jaffer's playing XI for the first Test.

Identifying their best combination early will be key for Rohit Sharma and Co. as they begin their World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle.

The first contest of the two-match Test series between India and the West Indies is set to begin on Wednesday, July 12 at Windsor Park in Dominica.

It is worth mentioning that the West Indies have an edge over India in terms of the head-to-head record, having won 30 out of the 98 Tests played between the two sides. India, on the other hand, have come out victorious on 28 occasions.

However, in recent years, India have dominated the West Indies in the format. West Indies last won a home Test against India in 2002. They haven't registered a single win on home soil versus the Men in Blue for the past 21 years now.

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Wasim Jaffer's playing XI for the first Test between India and West Indies

Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Ishan Kishan, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jaydev Undadkat, Mohammed Siraj, and Mukesh Kumar.