IND vs WI Test Series: Navdeep Saini STUNNED by surprise return to red-ball format, says ‘I was not expecting’

India’s Navdeep Saini was stunned to have returned to the Indian Test squad after the selectors of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BBCI) showed faith in him during Friday’s announcement. Saini, on his way to London to play in the Country Championship, was surprisingly named in the Indian team for the West Indies tour. The pace sensation, if he plays in one of the two Test matches, would play his first match since January 2021 when India beat Australia.

Saini back in the Test fold

“I came here to play county (cricket), landing today itself, and the moment I got out from the airport, I received the news that I have been selected for the West Indies tour,” Saini said while speaking to The Indian Express in London.

Saini played in the historic Test match in January 2021 when India beat Australia under Ajinkya Rahane’s captaincy. Interestingly he did not pick any wickets in that contest as the visitors won the match by three wickets and the series 2-1.

Saini will now have the opportunity to impress playing for the national side as the selectors favoured him over Umesh Yadav. Veterans of the game, Yadav and Cheteshwar Pujara were dropped for the West Indies tour while Sarfaraz Khan was again overlooked despite a fruitful Ranji Trophy season.

“Honestly, I was not expecting this call. Yes, during the IPL, I was training with the Dukes ball because I thought I might get picked as a net bowler or would be among the standbys for the World Test Championship final.

“Hopefully, I will get to play one match before going to the West Indies. It will be good preparation for me to get some overs under my belt,” the right-arm pacer added.

The two-match Test series against West Indies starts on July 12. Rohit Sharma will continue to remain the skipper of the side while Ajinkya Rahane will once again be the vice-captain of the side.

India’s Test squad:

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.

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