Along with India's Test team players, Harshit Rana also arrived at Gautam Gambhir's residence for the dinner party. Rana reached Gambhir's house separately in a BMW car, which caught cricket fans' attention. The video of Rana's arrival at Gambhir's home is now viral content on social media platforms. 

Ahead of the 2nd Test match with the West Indies (IND vs WI 2nd Test), Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir arranged a dinner party. Cricketers who are part of the ongoing Test series versus the West Indies arrived in a bus. Rana was not there on the bus. He came separately. 

It is important to remember that the pacer is not a part of the Test team but will fly to Australia soon for the 8-match (3 ODIs followed by 5 T20Is) white ball series. And like Gambhir, Harshit Rana is also a local resident of Delhi. So, it is sensible why he went to the dinner party separately. Though, some cricket fans on social media need very few reasons to spread rumors.

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Harshit Rana arrives at Gautam Gambhir's house in a separate car

Harshit Rana arrived separately in a special car at coach Gautam Gambhir’s house for the team dinner.👌🏼 pic.twitter.com/ucse2nQL1a

— 𝐑𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐢𝐢⁴⁵ (@rushiii_12) October 8, 2025

Team India started off the two-match Test series against the West Indies with an easy win. At the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the home team won the match by outclassing the opposition team in all departments. As of now, India is leading the series by 1-0. Shubman Gill and his boys are favorites to win the second match and the series as well. But the West Indies should try to make a comeback and conclude the series 1-1. 

A couple of days before the 2nd and tournament decider game, team India already started their training. Captain Shubman Gill and other players were at the Arun Jaitley Stadium for preparations. During the training sessions, they looked sharp and confident, as per various claims on social media. 

Cricketers of team India arrived at the house of head coach Gautam Gambhir ahead of the 2nd of the 2-match Test series between India and the West Indies starting on October 10 at the Arun Jaitley cricket stadium. Ahead of the must-win match, cricketers arrived at Gambhir's house on Wednesday evening. 

Team India started off the two-match Test series against the West Indies with an easy win. At the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the home team won the match by outclassing the opposition team in all departments. As of now, India is leading the series by 1-0. Shubman Gill and his boys are favorites to win the second match and the series as well. But the West Indies should try to make a comeback and conclude the series 1-1. 

A couple of days before the 2nd and tournament decider game, team India already started their training. Captain Shubman Gill and other players were at the Arun Jaitley Stadium for preparations. During the training sessions, they looked sharp and confident, as per various claims on social media. 

Read More: Prithvi Shaw sparks controversy over two words from Musheer Khan, report claims

Why did the Team India players visit Gautam Gambhir's house?

According to claims from various sources, Indian cricketers went to their head coach's house for dinner. It was informed before that this dinner party would be an informal team bonding event, planned as an open-air dinner in Gambhir’s garden area. But that depends on the weather condition. According to the video, players arrived at the location on a luxury bus. 

Team India arrived for Dinner at the house of @GautamGambhir @BCCI pic.twitter.com/COQ6EZ8WIJ

— vipul kashyap (@kashyapvipul) October 8, 2025

Informal dinner parties or get-togethers are not something new in cricket. But it is Gambhir's first such gesture since taking over as India's head coach last year. This kind of gathering can help to build a strong bond between players of a team. The upcoming match will be crucial for both teams. 

A trio of Indian players impressed with incredible batting and bowling performances to gain a comfortable and huge victory over West Indies in the first Test of the two-match series at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, which has gained new rating points in the latest ICC Men’s Test Player Rankings. The Shubman Gill-led side got an innings and 140-run victory inside three days in the WTC 2025-27. 

The right-arm fast bowler of the Blue Brigade, Mohammed Siraj, claimed seven wickets across two innings and was rewarded on the updated Test bowling ranking as he rose three spots to 12th in the table with a career-best rating. Jasprit Bumrah continues to maintain the top spot with three wickets in the same game, as Kuldeep Yadav jumps to the 21st rank. 

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Updated ICC Men’s Test bowling ranking

Mohammed Siraj rises to Number 12 in ICC Test bowling ranking 

India’s opening batter, KL Rahul, has scored a Test century in the contest and has moved up four places to 35th overall, with Joe Root holding the top rank. Ravindra Jadeja, celebrating another century, gains six spots to move to 25th overall. He also increased his advantages to the top of the Test all-rounder as Washington Sundar joins him to get into the 11th spot.

There were plenty of changes near the top of the latest T20I rankings after the conclusion of the New Zealand and Australia series. Mitchell Marsh was superb for their 2-0 series victory and moved to the 10th overall rank in the list of T20I batters.

New Zealand’s Tim Robinson has gained a whopping 58 places to equal 22nd on the list of batters, as Bangladesh’s Saif Hasan has gone up 17 spots to 18th. In the T20I bowlers’ rankings, Rashid Khan. Has gained six places to move to the second place and is only behind Varun Chakravarthy.

The low attendance of the fans during the opening Test of the two-match series against West Indies at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad was a concern for the BCCI. Many reckoned that the opening day was empty, perhaps due to Dusshera, but the numbers didn’t rise for the rest of the contest.

The former Indian opening batter, Aakash Chopra, pointed out that the Ahmedabad stadium didn’t get filled like the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur was filled for the unofficial ODI between India A and Australia A. Chopra suggested that the board should host more pink-ball games and use the smaller cities like Indore, Guwahati, and Ranchi.

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“Take Test matches to smaller centers. If you don't want a tier system, that's fine, but if it is important, go to smaller centers. Play in Guwahati, Ranchi, or Indore, and the stadium will be full. Or play a pink-ball Test, as it will add some excitement because, in this form and shape, it is not about the love for the game.” Chopra expressed during a recent Instagram video.

Aakash Chopra suggests pink-ball Tests' increment for better crowd attendance in Tests

Aakash Chopra highlighted that because Ahmedabad always hosts high-profile games like the World Cup final or the IPL final, the fans were not interested in coming to the ground to see the West Indies, who are no longer a strong side in the longest format.

“People are coming to watch matches; they came to Kanpur for India A's match, they came to Delhi for a Ranji Trophy match, so they will come here too. But the chances of people coming to watch in Ahmedabad, no, there are multiple reasons. The gap between India and the West Indies is very big. Coming to watch the West Indies play seems like a laborious task. The other thing, look at the size of the stadium.” The former opener addressed.

“It has a capacity of 1,32,000. So, even if 10-15 thousand fans come, it still looks empty. Ahmedabad hosts so many big-ticket matches like the IPL final and the World Cup final, and whatnot. So, there isn't any appetite for a low-key contest like this.” Aakash Chopra concluded.

After a tough 2-2 series in England, India are back home to continue their ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 campaign. Shubman Gill will lead a young Indian side in a two-Test series against the West Indies, starting in Ahmedabad on Thursday (October 2).

This series is a big chance for the team to settle and grow after the retirements of legends like Ravichandran Ashwin, Virat Kohli, and former captain Rohit Sharma. It’s also India’s first home series since the disappointing 3-0 loss to New Zealand last November. Gill and his players will now look to start fresh and build their own strong record at home, just like the teams before them.

Pitch Report – Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad

The red-soil pitch in Ahmedabad is expected to have a healthy green cover. The curator has left grass that will likely be trimmed to about 4–5mm before the toss. Fast bowlers should find help early on with seam movement and bounce from the new ball. As the game progresses, the surface may wear down, giving spinners more of a role.

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India vs West Indies 1st Test – Match Details

How to Watch India vs West Indies 1st Test in India

The India vs West Indies two-match Test series will begin this week, while the visitors West Indies have suffered another blow, as another key Caribbean fast bowler has been ruled out of the series. 

IND vs WI 2025: Alzarri Joseph ruled out of the series

After the right-arm fast bowler Shamar Joseph was ruled out of the away Test series against India due to an undisclosed injury, Alzarri Joseph has now been ruled out of the series due to a back injury. While Alzarri had discomfort, the scans confirmed a degeneration of his previously resolved lower back injury, which was confirmed by the Cricket West Indies (CWI).

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IND vs WI 2025: Test uncapped Jediah Blades replaced Alzarri Joseph

The 23-year-old left-arm pacer Jediah Blades is set to replace Alzarri for the India tour. The youngster is currently with the Caribbean team in the ongoing UAE tour for a three-match T20I series against Nepal, which will end on Tuesday (September 30), and then he will join the Test team. The uncapped Test player has played three ODIs and four T20Is, where he has taken one and three wickets, respectively. In 13 first-class matches, he has taken 35 wickets. 

IND vs WI 2025: Jason Holder was asked to be Alzarri Joseph's replacement

While the former captain Jason Holder was approached to join the Caribbean team as a replacement for Alzarri Joseph, the all-rounder declined due to his already planned medical procedure. He is also present in the ongoing UAE tour for the T20I series against Nepal. 

The two-match India vs West Indies Test series is part of the 2025-2027 ICC World Test Championship, as both will play their second Test series in this WTC cycle. While India secured a 2-2 draw in the five-match away Test series against the hosts England, West Indies suffered a whitewash 3-0 Test series defeat against Australia at home. 

The West Indies team last defeated India in a Test match in 2002 during the Kingston Test. Meanwhile, the Caribbean team recorded their last Test victory in India during the 1994 Mohali Test. While the West Indies are desperate to break their long wait for a Test victory against India, Shubman Gill-led India are looking to continue their dominant Test record against the Caribbean team. 

Just before the one week of the beginning of the two-match home Test series against West Indies, the selection committee announced the 15-member Indian Test squad. After the team selection, former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan pointed out India's missed opportunity. 

It was expected that the Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah would be rested for the upcoming home Test series against the West Indies due to workload management, although the pacer is known for his commitment to Test cricket. However, it was surprising that Bumrah had been selected in the Test squad. In fact, the pacer is likely to be available for selection for both Test matches, while he is currently busy in the Asia Cup 2025, where they will play the Final against Pakistan this Sunday (September 28).

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It seems like a missed opportunity not to play a young fast bowler: Irfan Pathan

Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan feels that India missed a great opportunity as a young fast bowler could have been selected instead of Bumrah to strengthen the pace bowling team. However, Pathan has also praised Bumrah for his impressive Test commitment, who is also battling with his fitness. 

Pathan said on his YouTube channel, “It seems like a missed opportunity not to play a young fast bowler in these two Tests, but that’s the team’s current direction. If I were a selector or manager, I would have surely tried to give a young fast bowler an opportunity, focusing on their development, not just quick results. Bumrah remains committed to Test cricket, which is fantastic.” 

Talking about a young pace bowler opportunity in the upcoming home Test series against West Indies, Pathan has pointed out the importance of the Indian pace-bowling team for the long-term purpose. 

Pathan added, “Still, it’s good that Bumrah maintains Test cricket as his priority. Selectors could have utilised this series to give proper rest to Bumrah and groom a young fast bowler, something India must prioritise for long-term vision. India needs a group of eight good fast bowlers, not just three or four.” 

Does this mean Kuldeep Yadav may miss out again?

Meanwhile, Axar Patel has been named in the Test squad along with new vice-captain Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar. While Pathan is happy for Axar's return, he also fears that Kuldeep Yadav may miss out once again in Test cricket.

Pathan said, “Axar’s return strengthens the team. When Axar plays alongside Washington and Jadeja, the team gains batting depth. Does this mean Kuldeep Yadav may miss out again? I would definitely want to see him play, but with home conditions generally allowing only two fast bowlers, his spot is not guaranteed.”

BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar confirmed that Jasprit Bumrah will be available for both tests against the West Indies. On the morning of 25 September, the board announced a full squad for the upcoming 2-match Test series against the West Indies.

Before the squad announcement, there were speculations about the ace pacer's workload management. Because of the workload management issue, he played only 3 matches in the 5-match Anderson-Tendulkar trophy against England. During the series decider match at The Oval, India played without the fast bowler and saved the series by winning the match.

The Test series against the West Indies is just after the Asia Cup 2025 final, so there were concerns about the player's availability in the series. India’s chairman of selectors, Ajit Agarkar, explained why they put Bumrah into the Test squad. He said that after the 4th Test series against England in the Anderson-Tendulkar trophy, Bumrah got enough time to recover, and the management is utilizing their cricketers in a methodical way.

Read More: Why is Ishan Kishan not picked up for upcoming home series against West Indies?

Why BCCI picked Bumrah for both matches?

Agarkar also pointed out how the team managed Bumrah's workload in the ongoing Asia Cup. Bumrah has played four of India’s five matches in the continental event so far. "This team has been picked for both the tests, so he's available for both tests. We've had a fair break after England. He didn't play the fifth Test [at The Oval] either. So, there's been a five-week break. Even this tournament (Asia Cup 2025) has been fairly spaced out till the last week. So no, he's ready and keen to play both Test matches," Ajit Agarkar explained. 

India squad for West Indies Tests:

Shubman Gill (captain), Ravindra Jadeja (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, and Narayan Jagadeesan. 

Rishabh Pant is unavailable for the India vs West Indies Test series for injury reasons, so Dhruv Jurel and Narayan Jagadeesan are named in the squad. Jurel is expected to be the main keeper for the series, with Jagadeesan as the second option. But why did the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee not consider Ishant Kishan for the assignment? The head of the selection committee, Agarkar, explained why Ishan Kishan is not in the squad. 

Ishan Kishan has so far played only 2 Test matches after making his debut in July 2023 against the West Indies. The keeper-batter started his international career in a promising way but soon started to lose momentum. Things got worse when he pulled himself out from the 2023-24 South Africa tour. As a reason, the top-order batter cited his mental health. Later, he was dropped from BCCI's central contract. The board asked every player to participate in domestic matches, but Ishan dared to go against the directive as well. He remained out of cricket for a while and took some time to regain his rhythm with the bat. The southpaw played some promising knocks in IPL 2025 for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), but in an inconsistent manner.

Ahead of the India vs West Indies Test series, Indian cricket fans were curious to know whether BCCI could select Kishan for the series. Now, the answer is clear: no room for Ishan Kishan. Agarkar strongly said that the keeper-batter needs to prove himself first. It is clear that the board is not happy at all with the cricketer at all. 

Read More: BCCI selects RCB star as captain of Rest of India for Irani Cup

Why Ishan Kishan is not in India squad for West Indies Test series?

"When we picked India A, Ishan Kishan wasn't fit. Jagadeesan was part of the squad when Ishan wasn't fit. Ishan will have to play a bit more cricket and show some performances," Agarkar said. 

India squad for West Indies Tests:

Shubman Gill (captain), Ravindra Jadeja (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, and Narayan Jagadeesan. 

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced its squad for the upcoming two-match Test series against the West Indies at home, which will start just a couple of days after the Asia Cup 2025 final. There isn’t any surprise under the leadership of Shubman Gill as the selectors have named Ravindra Jadeja as the vice-captain in the absence of injured Rishabh Pant.

The opening game will be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad before the action moves to the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi for the second encounter. They have picked three specialist all-rounders in the side, but the talking point has been around Karun Nair’s absence as their chief selector, Ajit Agarkar, revealed the reason.

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“We expected more from Karun Nair. It can’t be just one inning. Padikkal offers more. We would like to give 15-20 chances to everyone, but it is not possible in these circumstances. Padikkal has been in great form, and he was in the team.” Agarkar expressed in the press conference in Dubai.

Ajit Agarkar reveals reason to omit Karun Nair from IND vs WI Test squad

Nair didn’t enjoy a great time in the England series. He started with a duck at Leeds before getting two 25+ scores at Edgbaston. After being dropped from the side for the fourth Manchester Test, the right-handed batter returned for the last fixture at the Kennington Oval in South London to celebrate a fine half-century.

The former Vidarbha batter, who has returned to his old base, Karnataka, has notched up 579 runs in 15 innings of the red-ball format at an average of 41.35 and a strike rate of 64.62, with the help of one half-century and one century at the best score of unbeaten 303 runs. But this omission could be the end of his Test career.

The selection committee went ahead with Devdutt Padikkal, who drilled a fine knock of 150 in Lucknow against Australia A and looked in good touch for his 57 during the Duleep Trophy 2025 for the South Zone against North Zone at the BCCI Coe Ground in Bengaluru.