Ashish Ranjan
India would be eager to make a revival after losing the final of the World Test Championship for the second consecutive year. After a much-needed break, the team will convene in the Caribbean for a multi-format series involving two Tests, three ODIs, and five T20Is against West Indies.
The Rohit Sharma-led squad will hold a one-week training exercise at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados, prior to the July 12 start of the first Test of the two-match series.
In the meantime, the Indian team management desires two practice matches as part of the team’s preparations for the series. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is reportedly in discussions with Cricket West Indies (CWI) and Cricket Barbados to facilitate the same.
“They are training at Kensington Oval until we private-charter them to Dominica before the start of the Test Series.” A CWI official told Cricbuzz that the team management chose Barbados over Roseau, the capital of Dominica, because the facilities in Roseau are not highly rated.
The Indian team will travel to Barbados in sections.
According to reports, it has been difficult to acquire tickets to the Caribbean due to the limited number of large aircraft traveling to the region. The Indian team and support personnel will therefore arrive in Barbados in separate groups between 1 and 2 July and will likely remain there until 8 and 9 July.
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The BCCI announced India’s Test and ODI squads on June 23. Cheteshwar Pujara and Umesh Yadav were omitted from the Test squad following their poor performances in the WTC final, while Yashasvi Jaiswal was selected for the Test side. In addition, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Mukesh Kumar have been selected for both Tests and ODIs, while Mohammed Shami has been rested.
The West Indies are currently competing in World Cup Qualifying matches. They are placed in Group A with the United States, Nepal, the Netherlands, and the host nation, Zimbabwe. The squad led by Shai Hope has won both of its opening contests and currently sits atop the standings.
