The Indian team for the upcoming two-Test away series against the West Indies was revealed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Friday. The squad consists of 16 players.
For Rohit Sharma and company, the series marks the start of the 2023–25 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. As they strive to take home the coveted WTC title.
Despite making the final in each of the two WTC iterations so far, Team India has struggled in the championship game. Prior to losing to Australia in their most recent match, they had lost to New Zealand in 2021.
India’s next era in Test cricket is likely to start in the upcoming cycle as a result of the setback. The addition of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad to the Test squad, as well as Cheteshwar Pujara’s exclusion, showed this.
Gaikwad was originally chosen as a standby player for the WTC final, but he later decided against playing because of his marriage, and Jaiswal took his place for the summit match.
One of Jaiswal and Gaikwad will probably make their debut, with the rest of the batting lineup likely staying the same as the one that participated in the WTC final. In the batting order, they will likely start at number three.
Despite the fact that both of them made strong arguments for being chosen, only one of them can probably play, and the other one might have to warm the benches.
Let’s analyze India’s statistics and consider additional elements that might favor Yashasvi Jaiswal or Ruturaj Gaikwad as we anticipate their upcoming tour of the West Indies.
1. Current shape
Both Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad have been on fire the past few months, which has contributed to their selection to the Indian Test team. The 26-year-old Gaikwad scored 364 runs for Maharashtra in five matches during the most recent Ranji Trophy at an average of 52 and a strike rate of nearly 80, with a century and two half-centuries.
In contrast, Mumbai’s Jaiswal was equally impressive, scoring 315 runs in just as many games at an average of 45 and a similarly high strike rate while also hitting a century and a half-century.
For the Rest of India in the Irani Trophy earlier this year, the left-handed Jaiswal also scored a scorching 213 and 144 runs. The southpaw also had the highest run total in the Duleep Trophy in September of last year, scoring an astounding 497 runs in three games at a Bradmanesque average of 99.40. At the conclusion, he was named Player of the Match.
Although the pair’s performance in the IPL this year also played a significant part in their selection, there were other batters in first-class cricket who had better statistics.
Despite being a T20 tournament, the IPL presents challenges such as playing in front of loud crowds and having the stamina to perform well under pressure against the best international bowlers.
Gaikwad scored 590 runs for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the recently finished IPL season at an average of 42 points per run and a strike rate of 147 points per over. Jaiswal performed even better for the Rajasthan Royals (RR), scoring 625 runs at an average of 48.08 and a strike rate of 163.61.
Both batters have been in outstanding form in every aspect of the game, as shown by the aforementioned statistics. However, the left-hander has a slight advantage overall over the past six to twelve months.
2. Experience and overall record.
Despite the fact that Yashasvi Jaiswal has better numbers, Ruturaj Gaikwad has more first-class experience.
In 28 first-class matches over the course of the 2016–17 Ranji Trophy season, Gaikwad, who made his debut in the tournament, amassed nearly 2,000 runs at an average of 42 points and six centuries.
The same amount of runs were scored in only 15 games by 21-year-old Jaiswal, who made his Ranji debut two years later. His incredible average of 80 points per game included nine centuries.
The CSK opener has participated in nine T20Is and a single ODI for Team India, even though neither has represented India in Test matches. In addition to providing a sense of calm while making their red-ball debut, this may also help them gain a deeper understanding of the system and culture within the Indian setup.
3. Greater compatibility with the current Indian Test Team.
Ruturaj Gaikwad or Yashasvi Jaiswal, along with Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, and Ajinkya Rahane, will most likely make up the top five of the Indian batting order for the West Indies Tests.
The left-handed Jaiswal will be more helpful for India given that the other four batters are all right-handers. This will give their batting lineup more balance.
While both batters typically bat first for their respective domestic teams, Jaiswal batted third and scored a total of 357 runs in the recent Irani Trophy match’s two innings.
One of the problems affecting Team India in Tests has been a batting order that is predominately right-handed.
It has given opposition pacers and spinners the opportunity to focus on a strategy against the batters. Jaiswal’s addition at position 3 may therefore be exactly what the doctor ordered to achieve better balance.
Despite both batters having outstanding statistics, it is obvious from the data and other factors that Yashasvi Jaiswal should make her debut before Ruturaj Gaikwad.
Gaikwad, however, could be given the go-ahead for a Test debut given that he was chosen among the standby players for the WTC final rather than Jaiswal.
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