Nair to lead President’s XI against touring Windies

India batting star Karun Nair
India batting star Karun Nair

NEW DELHI, India, CMC – Batsman Karun Nair has been named to lead the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) President’s XI in the two-day tour game against West Indies starting Saturday in Vadodara.

The right-hander averages 62 from six Tests and boasts an unbeaten triple hundred in his third Test against England in Chennai two years ago, but has not played international cricket in a year-and-a-half.

He toured England with the Test side earlier in the summer and also captained India A in the two four-day “Tests” against West Indies A in England last July.

Hanuma Vihari, who struck a half-century on debut against England at the Oval earlier this month, has also been included along with Shreyas Iyer, who warmed up for the fixture with a one-day hundred for Mumbai on Friday.

The match will be the only warm-up for West Indies before they take on India in the opening Test starting in Rajkot on October 4, with the second Test carded for October 12-16 at Hyderabad.

West Indies will also play five One-Day Internationals and three Twenty20 Internationals in almost two months on the India subcontinent.

SQUAD – Karun Nair (captain), Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw, Hanuma Vihari, Shreyas Iyer, Ankit Bawne, Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Jalaj Saxena, Saurabh Kumar, Basil Thampi, Avesh Khan, K Vignesh, Ishan Porel.