Shardul Thakur surprise selection in India squad for West Indies series
Monday 23 May 2016 14:08, UK
Fast bowler Shardul Thakur is a surprise selection in India's 17-man squad for their Test series against the West Indies, announced on Monday.
The 24-year-old has earned his first call-up to the national side after playing a key role in Mumbai's 41st Ranji Trophy victory in February, picking up 41 wickets in his 11 matches.
Virat Kohli has been named captain of the side for the July-August series by the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) with Ajinkya Rahane his deputy.
The four-match series will mark the resumption of bilateral ties between the sides after the Caribbean team pulled out midway through a 2014 tour of India over a protracted pay dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board.
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The BCCI also announced a weakened 16-man squad for the one-day and Twenty20 internationals to tour Zimbabwe.
The uncapped Faiz Fazal, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jayant Yadav, Karun Nair, Mandeep Singh have been included while experienced players such as Rohit Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin and Suresh Raina will be rested.
India will play three one-day internationals and three Twenty20 games beginning in June.
India squad for West Indies tour: Virat Kohli (capt), Murali Vijay, Shikar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Stuart Binny.
Squad for Zimbabwe tour: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt), KL Rahul, Faiz Fazal, Manish Pandey, Karun Nair, Ambati Rayudu, Rishi Dhawan, Axar Patel, Jayant Yadav, Dhawal Kulkarni, Jasprit Bumrah, Barinder Sran, Mandeep Singh, Kedar Jadhav, Jaydev Unadkat, Yuzvendra Chahal.
