India squad for West Indies series | Jadeja named as vice-captain, Karnataka's Padikkal in, Karun Nair out

Bengaluru: Veteran India spinner Ravindra Jadeja on Thursday was named as the vice-captain for the two-match Test series against the West Indies starting October 2, while Karnataka’s Devdutt Padikkal returned at the expense of senior State mate Karun Nair as the selectors announced a 15-member squad that bore no major surprises.

With Rishabh Pant still recovering from a foot fracture he suffered in the fourth Test against England in Manchester late July, a major decision the wise men had to make in a squad that almost selected itself was to name a deputy for Subhuman Gill. The expectations were on opener KL Rahul, who has led India in two Tests, but the think-tank decided to bestow that honour on the 36-year-old Jadeja, easily the country’s Most Valuable Player over the past decade.

“Rishabh is the vice-captain at the moment and a key player. But unfortunately, he hasn't quite recovered to make this particular Test series. We're hopeful that he'll be available for South Africa. And Jadeja has been one of your top performers,” said chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar at a press conference in Dubai.

Nair’s spot in the team was on the line following an ordinary series of England, where he managed to score just 205 runs in four Tests. Although the 33-year-old got off to promising starts in most of the innings and looked good during his stay, his inability to convert them into something substantially big ultimately cost him a place with the selectors, now looking into the future with the picking of 25-year-old Padikkal and retention of 23-year-old Sai Sudharsan.

Padikkal has played two Test matches, most recently during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where he featured in the opening game at Perth. He probably would have been on the flight to England, where India drew 2-2, but a right hamstring injury suffered during the latter stages of the IPL ruled him out.

“We feel Padikkal offers a little bit more at this point, and I wish we could give everyone 15 or 20 Tests. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. Padikkal's been in the Test squad. Frankly, we expected a bit more from Karun in England. Devdutt was in the Test squad in Australia, played in Dharamsala against England, got a 50 there. He's shown some decent form within the race,” said Agarkar, all but slamming the exit door on Nair.

A surprise selection was pace ace Jasprit Bumrah, considering the Board has been extra careful with his workload. Bumrah, who played three Tests in England and has featured in four games in the ongoing Asia Cup, was expected to be rested considering India host World Test Championship winners South Africa in November, but Agarkar said the pacer is fit and raring to go.

“This is a team for both the Test matches. So, he's available for both. We've had a fair break after England. He didn't play the fifth Test either. There's been a month or five weeks of break. This tournament (Asia Cup) has been fairly spaced out till this last week. He's ready and keen to play both Test matches,” said Agarkar.

With Pant ruled out, Tamil Nadu’s in-form stumper N Jagadeesan has been added as a back-up for Dhruv Jurel. Axar Patel also returns with the squad featuring a total of four spinners. A fit-again Nitish Kumar Reddy too has been picked.

Squad: Shubman Gill (capt), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravindra Jadeja (vice-capt), Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, N Jagadeesan (wk), Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav.