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After yet another ICC final heartbreak, Team India will now be keen to start their upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) campaign on a high note of positivity. The team will be on a break after losing the World Trade Center to Australia, after which they will travel to the West Indies.
This tour will include two Test matches, three ODIs and five T20 Internationals. USA T20 internationals can also be held at Central Broward Park and Broward County Stadium in Lauderhill, Florida.
India has the opportunity to hand over a number of young talents for the first time. Batting has been a constant concern for the side over the last session and this is where the side want to come up with new faces and make an impression.
Here we take a look at the three outfield players that India must select for the next Test series against the West Indies:
#3 Mukesh Kumar
India needs to develop a new crop of fast bowling and Mukesh Kumar fits the bill perfectly. He looks like Scott Boland and continues to hit the good spots to challenge hitters. He was one of the reserve players for the final of the World Tennis Championships and has been on the sidelines of the Indian team for a while now.
Mukesh debuted in 2015 and to date, has taken 149 wickets in the red-ball format at an average of 21.55. This also includes six five-wicket hauls. He has performed consistently in first-class cricket and deserves to be included in the side since the likes of Umesh Yadav looked nervous in the final.
In December 2022 he impressed with a six-wicket haul for India A against Bangladesh in Sylhet and could be a good part of the squad.
#2 Yashasvi Jaiswal
India certainly needs to change intentions at the top of the system. Yashasvi Jaiswal, who lit up the IPL this year, has been a perennial performer for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy. He is among the new breed of batsmen who don’t mind chasing down bowlers and changing momentum even in red-ball cricket.
In his 15 matches in first-class cricket, Jaiswal amassed 1,845 runs at an average of 80.31 and a strike rate of around 60. The X factor could be at the top of the order and giving him a chance in the higher order against the West Indies would be a good move.
He is definitely getting the attention of selectors as he was also selected as one of the backup openers ahead of the WTC Final.
#1 Sarfaraz Khan
Sarfraz Khan is one of the batsmen who should get a nod for the West Indies series. The Mumbai batsman has been one of the most prolific run-scorers in the Ranji Trophy in the past two seasons and could be a great addition to India’s mid-order.
Sarfaraz was the top scorer in the 2021-22 Ranji Trophy, scoring 982 runs in six matches at an average of 122.75. He continued this prolific trajectory in the 2022-23 season as he scored 556 runs at an impressive average of 92.66. He is the third highest scorer for the team, after Ajinkya Rahan (634 pts) and Prithvi Shaw (595 pts).
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