The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced their men’s Test squad for the upcoming West Indies tour on Friday. The squad includes some promising young talents, with opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal and fast bowler Mukesh Kumar earning their maiden Test call-up.
Yashasvi, who averages 80.21 with nine hundreds in 15 first-class games, was picked on the grounds of his attention-grabbing show in the 2023 edition of Indian Premier League. The left-handed batter scored 625 runs at an average of 48.08 and a strike-rate of 163.61 for Rajasthan Royals.
This is not the first time Yashasvi has been in the spotlight. He was named as a stand-by player for the Indian squad during last month’s World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia. Now, the young opener has finally earned his chance to represent his country in the Test format. Reacting to his selection, Jaiswal expressed his excitement and gratitude for the opportunity. He acknowledged the significance of this moment in his cricketing career and vowed to make the most of it.
“I am feeling good, I will try to do my best. I was a little nervous, till the time you do not get to know that your name is there in the team, there are butterflies. But it is a good feeling,” Yashasvi told PTI.
Yashasvi also revealed that his father got emotional before mentioning how he learned a lot from senior players during the WTC Final.
“My father started crying. My preparations have been going good and I got to interact a lot with the senior players [during the WTC final]. I learned from them that in the end it is all about you, how you take it going forward,” added Yashasvi.
Joining Yashasvi in the Test squad is Mukesh , a promising fast bowler. With his impressive performances in domestic cricket, Mukesh has caught the attention of the selectors. Mukesh, who tragically lost his father to a brain hemorrhage in 2019, expressed his heartfelt sentiments regarding his inclusion. He acknowledged the invaluable guidance provided by former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly.
“My dream is now in front of me. I always wanted to be here — to play Tests for India. And, I’ve finally arrived. I’m sure dad would be happy now seeing my rise. Mummy, papa’s support will always be there and to all my friends for believing in me… Vision 2020. Sourav Ganguly Sir, Joydeep (Mukherjee) Sir and my guru Ranadeb Bose sir who has always guided me in red-ball cricket. Without their help, I don’t think I would have survived,” said Mukesh.
