'Hopefully, this will be a long-term solution as we were desperate for it': Rohit Sharma

IND vs WI: The Indian cricket team will be taking on West Indies in a two-match Test series starting from July 12, 2023. The first Test will be played at Windsor Park in Dominica and the team management has included plenty of new faces in the team. This will also be the team's first series in the new cycle of the WTC 2023-25 and after the disappointing loss against Australia in the WTC 2023 Final by 209 runs.

3 things you need to know 

• Team India skipper Rohit Sharma till now has only two Tests in West Indies before the 2023 tour 
• Rohit Sharma averages 25.00 in the two Tests he played in the Caribbean so far and has made a total of 50 runs 
• West Indies is also very special for Virat Kohli as he made his 1st Test double-hundred here back in 2016 

Rohit Sharma gives update on Yashasvi Jaiswal's batting order 

Team India skipper while addressing the pre-match press conference ahead of the first IND vs WI Test, gave an update on Yashasvi Jaiswal's batting order and said that he will be his opening partner in the match. Shubman will be batting at number three and will replace Cheteshwar Pujara. 

(Yashasvi Jaiswal during the India A vs Bangladesh A Test match / Image: BCB)

“For us, it’s a good thing that we will have a left-right combination at the top. Hopefully, this will be a long-term solution as we were desperate for a left-hander at the top. Hope he (Jaiswal) can make that spot his own,” said Rohit.

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Yashasvi Jaiswal's phenomenal domestic record 

Young Team India batsman Yashasvi Jaiswal has earned a place in the Indian cricket team due to his tremendous performance in domestic cricket and IPL. Yashasvi till now has played 15 first-class matches so far and has an average of 80.21. He has made a total of 1845 in his first-class career so far. Jaiswal also had a fabulous Indian Premier League 2023 and made a total of 625 runs from 14 games for the Rajasthan Royals. 

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Apart from Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad has also been included in the Test squad. Gaikwad performed brilliantly for Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League 2023 and was also their second-highest run-scorer in the tournament. Ruturaj made a total of 590 runs from 16 IPL games. 

The Indian cricket team will also play a three-match ODI series and a five-match T20I series after the Test series which will begin from July 27, 2023, and August 3, 2023, respectively.