India vs West Indies | BCCI to announce squad after assessing fitness of Ishant Sharma, R Ashwin

The Indian team will face off against West Indies in a two-match Test series which will be played from October 4 in Rajkot. However, BCCI selectors are yet to announce the final squad for the upcoming series as they wait on the fitness of injured duo, Ishant Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin. As per reports in TOI, senior pacer Ishant and off-spinner Ashwin will undergo a fitness test on Saturday before selectors take a final call on their availability.

"Ashwin is already doing his rehabilitation at the NCA for a groin injury. Even Ishant is expected to join him there. As of now, there is a fitness test scheduled on Saturday, September 29. The selectors may announce the team a day earlier if NCA physios and trainers rule the duo out even before fitness tests," a senior BCCI official told TOI on Wednesday. 

The report further added that BCCI acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary had earlier issued a notice about West Indies Test series squad selection being on the agenda for Wednesday. However, the meeting was later cancelled due to unspecified reasons.

"It was scheduled earlier but the five selectors' itinerary was clashing as one (Sarandeep Singh) is in Dubai while two others (Jatin Paranjpe and Gagan Khoda) are watching Vijay Hazare Trophy at different venues. So it was decided that this will be an informal meeting where the selectors will take stock of the situation," the official added.

"The selection committee's aim is to have a team for the series that will be a mirror image of the squad that will travel to Australia. May be two more players to the 15 for the Tests will be added when the team travels Down Under." 

If things stand as they are, Shikhar Dhawan, who had an average outing in the Test series in England, will retain his spot in the squad. But the selectors could push the inclusion of young Prithvi Shaw and last year’s leading run-scorer in domestic cricket, Mayank Agarwal. Also, in case Ashwin is ruled out due to injury, Yuzvendra Chahal might be the preferred choice of the Indian management.

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