India name Caribbean tour squads

MUMBAI, India (CMC):

Out-of-favour Test wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha and rising star Rishabh Pant will both feature on India A's tour of the Caribbean, which bowls off in July.

The 34-year-old Saha, who played the last of his 32 Tests nearly a year-and-a-half ago, was named in the 15-man squad for all three four-day Tests. He has been kept out of the senior side through a series of injuries.

Batsman Shreyas Iyer, who has played six one-day internationals (ODI), will lead the Test squad, which also includes exciting 19-year-old opener Prithvi Shaw, whose only two Tests came against the Windies last year and yielded a maiden hundred.

However, Shaw will only feature in the third and final Test.

Pant, meanwhile, who was surprisingly omitted from India's World Cup squad, will be part of the tourists' 15-man squad for the five one-day matches. The 21-year-old has played nine Tests and averages nearly 50 with two hundreds.

The ODI squad will be led by batsman Manish Pandey and includes Shaw and Iyer.

India A's series will precede the senior team's tour of the Caribbean, which is expected to begin in August and comprise two Tests, three ODIs and three T20 Internationals.

The Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) said yesterday that Antigua will host the five ODIs from July 11-21, with Coolidge Cricket Ground and the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground serving as venues.

The Vivian Richards Cricket Ground will also host the first Test from July 24-27 before the series moves to Trinidad where the second Test will be played at Queen's Park Oval from July 31 to August 3 and the third "Test" at the Brian Lara Stadium starting August 6.