Team India Stars Engage In Friendly Interaction With Local Players In West Indies (WATCH)

Team India cricketers Mohammed Siraj, Ishan Kishan, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ajinkya Rahane, Ruturaj Gaikwad had a friendly interaction with the local players in the West Indies during their training session. Siraj, who will spearhead the bowling attack in Test and ODI cricket, even gifted a bat and a pair of shoes to one of the players.

While Ishan Kishan shared some batting tips with one of the youngsters, Ashwin, the master of spin bowling, did the same with one of the Caribbean players. The West Indians also clicked pictures with the likes of Ajinkya Rahane and Ruturaj Gaikwad. Following their practice session, Siraj, Virat Kohli, and Axar Patel signed some autographs for the fans outside the ground.

India are in the West Indies for a full-fledged tour and are set to play 2 Tests, 3 ODIs, and 5 T20Is, starting with the red-ball games on July 12th in Dominica. However, the BCCI has pulled off some selection bombshells in the Test squad, dropping Cheteshwar Pujara and reinstating Ajinkya Rahane as vice-captain after the latter's encouraging performances in the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia last month. Umesh Yadav could not find a place in the squad either, while Mohammed Shami has been rested.

India's Test squad to face the West Indies:

Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), KS Bharat (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, Navdeep Saini.

The two-Test series will also mark the start of the new cycle of the World Test Championship for both sides.