Team India’s World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle is all set to get underway with the two-match Test series against West Indies next month.

For the series, the BCCI selection committee on Friday (June 23) announced a 16-member squad and veteran pacer Umesh Yadav’s absence from it raised a few eyebrows.

While the selectors didn’t give any clarification on Umesh’s non-selection, a report published in TOI claims that the fast bowler has not been dropped from the West Indies Test series but is out due to a hamstring injury.

"Umesh is suffering from a hamstring injury and is recovering at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore," TOI quoted a BCCI source as saying.

According to the report, the selectors haven't closed the doors on either Umesh or senior batter Cheteshwar Pujara, who has been left out of the Test team as well.

"If Ajinkya Rahane can be made the vice-captain of the Test side after being out for 15 months before the WTC final, anyone can make a comeback. The doors aren't closed on any senior player," the source said.

"It's just that you need to start transitioning somewhere. The selectors don't want a situation where all the seniors quit the scene in one go and we don't have anyone experienced left in the dressing room," he added.

Meanwhile, the report also suggests that Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) batter Rinku Singh, who took the cricketing world by storm with his stunning exploits in the IPL 2023 season, is set to be picked for the five-match T20I series against the West Indies.

On the other hand, seasoned pacer Mohammad Shami, who has been rested from the West Indies Tests and ODIs, is likely to be rested from the T20I series as well.

Besides the two Tests, India will also play three ODIs and five T20Is on the tour of West Indies, slated to be played from July 12 to August 13.

(With TOI Inputs)