WI vs IND: Final chance for these players to prove their mettle
Looking back at India’s largely successful World Cup campaign, the selection committee recently announced India’s squads for the upcoming West Indies tour. Starting August 3, India will play three T20Is, followed by three ODIs. They will conclude the tour with 2 Test matches. All three squads for the respective formats feature some new faces alongside the regular members. From a sustainability point of this view, the West Indies tour will be a test for some of the Indian players who are treading on water. Their performance in this series is most likely to decide their fate and near future in international cricket.
KL Rahul
KL Rahul had a decent outing in the World Cup, being shuffled across the No.4 and the opening position. And it’s because of those performances that his name features in all of India’s three squads for the West Indies series. While his credibility as a limited-overs specialist is under no visible threat, Rahul faces a mammoth task of finding his feet in Test cricket. In Shikhar Dhawan, Mayank Agarwal and Hanuma Vihari, India has tried different combinations for the opening slot in Tests. But the absence of a consistent opening pair still haunts them. Even India’s regular Test opener like Murali Vijay hasn’t found a place in this squad. Rahul’s performances in his last eight tests suggest he has struggled to go past the 50-run mark. But against the West Indies this time, he will have the cushion of T20Is and ODIs before facing the wrath of Test cricket.
If he fails to make the most of his limited opportunities, his Karnataka teammate Mayank Agarwal could end up being India’s preferred choice for an opener.
Kedar Jadhav
The fact that India’s selection committee showed faith in Kedar Jadhav by retaining him in the ODI squad may have raised a few eyebrows. Jadhav had a mediocre World Cup despite his abilities to multi-task as the complete ‘all-rounder’. In the six matches he played, he hardly ever made his presence felt with the bat. On the three occasions that he bowled, he didn’t fetch a single wicket. The West Indies tour may well be the end of the road for the 34-year old if he fails to impress.
Umesh Yadav
Fast bowler Umesh Yadav has regularly featured in the Indian Test team in the last eight years. But frequent injuries and inconsistent performances have plagued his career. The pacer last played Test cricket in 2018 against Australia but could only pick 2 wickets in 2 matches. Once touted as an out-and-out fast bowler generating great swing, Yadav has often been troubled by his poor line and length. In the presence of ace bowlers Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami, Yadav will find it difficult to make his way into the playing XI. The addition of younger bowlers also indicates that the management is building a team for the future. In such a situation, Yadav will have to bowl with his tail up, if and when given a chance.
Manish Pandey
After recent impressive performances for India A, batsman Manish Pandey has found his way back into India’s T20I and ODI squads. With a fine century in the third match against West Indies A, he earned the selectors’ praise and subsequently a call-up to the national team. After years of being in and out of favour, Pandey now has the opportunity to seal his spot in a side desperate for its designated No.4 batsman. A flamboyant batsman with a penchant for shot-making, he last played in the 2018 Asia Cup against Afghanistan. With neither Vijay Shankar nor Rishabh Pant being able to cement themselves at No.4, this could be a good time for Pandey to cash in.
