Ruturaj Gaikwad, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Mukesh Kumar have earned maiden Test call-ups after BCCI announced the squad for India's upcoming tour of West Indies, starting from July 12 in Dominica.
In the squad announced by the Men's Selection Committee for the upcoming two-match Test series which also marks the beginning of India's 2023-25 World Test Championship cycle, there are no places for Cheteshwar Pujara, Umesh Yadav, and Mohammed Shami, with call-ups given to Gaikwad and Jaiswal seen as potential start of transition in the Indian Test batting line-up.
For the three-match ODI series which follows the Test series, Ruturaj and Mukesh will also be a part of the squad, with Sanju Samson joining in as the second wicketkeeper-batter option. India are also scheduled to play five T20Is and the squad for the same will be announced later.
Mukesh impressed everyone with his bowling in domestic cricket and the recently concluded edition of the Indian Premier League. He grabbed 7 wickets in 10 matches while playing for Delhi Capitals. The pacer revealed the advice he received from MS Dhoni in IPL 2023.
Mukesh Kumar Reveals Advice From MS Dhoni
"I always wanted to meet Dhoni bhaiya and ask him a couple of things. This happened because of the IPL. I met him and the first thing I asked him — 'What exactly do you tell your bowlers as a captain and wicketkeeper?'" said Mukesh in a conversation with Times of India. "He put his hands around my shoulders and said, 'I tell this to every bowler that till the time you won't try, you won't learn.' He said - 'You need to do exactly what you want to do. If you won't, you will not learn.' He said to forget the outcome, and just go and try. He explained this thing really well to me," he added.