Cheteshwar Pujara to be axed from Indian test side - Reports

Cheteshwar Pujara scored 14 and 27 in two innings in the World Test Championship 2023 final.

After a disappointing World Test Championship 2023 Final, India will take a break of one month from the cricket. After that they will fly to West Indies for a multi-format series starting on July 12 with two test-match series. After that, they will play three ODIs and five T20Is. The schedule for the tour was announced a few days back by the BCCI and the team for the tour is expected to be announced soon.

The BCCI is expected to announce a totally new-look team for the tour. We might see some of the senior players to get rest while a few will be dropped. Some media reports suggest that veteran Indian batter Cheteshwar Pujara is set to be axed from the test series and Yashasvi Jasiwal to replace him in the test side for West Indies tour.

Yashasvi Jaiswal to replace Cheteshwar Pujara for West Indies Tests: Reports

Unlike the other Indian players, Cheteshwar Pujara was already in England playing County Cricket. He did well there and was expected to use that form for India in the WTC final against Australia. But he only managed the scores of 14 and 27 in two innings and got out playing irresponsible shots in both innings of the game.

That might backfire him when the BCCI will pick the test team for two tests in West Indies. Cricbuzz reported that the veteran batter might be dropped and he will be replaced by Rajasthan Royals opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, who had a wonderful season of the Indian Premier League in 2023. The left-hander played 14 games and scored 625 runs at an average of 48.07 and a strike rate of 163.61 with one century and five half-centuries.

Apart from that, Jaiswal has a pretty good performance in red-ball cricket in the domestic circuit. The West Indies test series will be India's first assignment in the next WTC cycle 2023-25 and it will be a big question whether Pujara might play till the next WTC final or not. Pujara has played 103 tests for India and scored 7195 runs at an average of 43.61 with 19 centuries and 35 half-centuries.