All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja will be expected to make vital lower-order contributions and Virat Kohli will bat at number four.
India's captain Virat Kohli (L) throws a ball to teammate Ravichandran Ashwin. (Photo: AFP)
Teenage sensation Prithvi Shaw as well as out of form KL Rahul have retained their spot in the second Test against West Indies starting on Friday. The Board of Cricket for Control in India on Thursday (11th October) named the final 12-member squad a day before the second Test begins.
The Indian cricket board started the practice of naming the final 12 a day before the start of the game from the last game against West Indies, which India won by an innings and 272 runs.
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With their win over West Indies in the first Test, India have taken an unassailable lead of 1-0 in the ongoing two-match Test series. The second match between India and West Indies will be played at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad.
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Before the squad for the second Test announced, there were talks that Indian skipper Virat Kohli can be rested making ways for young batsman Mayank Agarwal. However, now it seems Mayank will have to wait for Australia series to make his debut in the longest format of the game for India.
Team India for the 2nd Test against Windies at Hyderabad 🇮🇳 #INDvWI pic.twitter.com/QMgNm6jf4Q
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 11, 2018
The 27-year-old Agarwal had broken into the team after scoring tons of runs in domestic cricket and at India A level.
What is also clear now is that India will go with three spinners (Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin), two pacers (Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami) and the most likely 12th man will be Shardul Thakur.
Young batsman Hanuma Vihari, who was preferred over Karun Nair in the fifth Test match against England at The Oval, has also not been included in the squad.
Vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane, who once again failed to make his mark in the opening Test, will bat at number five, Test specialist Cheteshwar Puajara at number three and young wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh pant will bat at number six.
All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja will be expected to make vital lower-order contributions and Virat Kohli will bat at number four.
Indian squad for 2nd Test (From): Prithvi Shaw, Lokesh Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli(c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Shardul Thakur
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