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Karun Nair to lead Board President's XI against West Indies

Karun Nair put Karnataka in pole position PTI

Batsman Karun Nair, who was benched throughout India's Test tour of England, will lead a 13-member Board President's XI squad to take on the visiting West Indies for a two-day practice match in Vadodara. The match will begin on September 29 and will precede the two-Test series in October.

Hanuma Vihari, who was selected ahead of Nair for the fifth Test against England and made a fifty and a duck on debut, also found a place, as did Mumbai batsman Prithvi Shaw, who was also called up for the final two Tests in England without getting a game.

Mayank Agarwal, who has been on the periphery of an India call-up for a while, also made it to the side on the back of an extended prolific run that included a first-class double-century last month against South Africa A and a one-day hundred in the quadrangular series that followed. In his last first-class innings, he scored 80 on a tough second-innings pitch against Australia A.

Shreyas Iyer and Ankit Bawne, who struck three fifties in six first-class innings against the visiting South Africa A and Australia A teams, form a strong batting line-up. The selectors, however, opted for a less experienced bowling attack, especially the pace line-up which will be led by Kerala's Basil Thampi, who has played 18 first-class matches.

Uttar Pradesh left-arm spinner Saurabh Kumar and Tamil Nadu pacer K Vignesh were rewarded for impressive performances in the Duleep Trophy. Saurabh finished the tournament as the highest wicket-taker, with 19 scalps from three matches. Vignesh, with eight scalps in two matches, was also among the top-five wicket-takers. Madhya Pradesh's Avesh Khan, Bengal's Ishan Porel, experienced allrounder Jalaj Saxena and wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan complete the 13-member squad.

West Indies will be in India for a full tour featuring two Tests, five ODIs and three T20Is in October-November.

Board President's XI squad: Karun Nair (capt), Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw, Hanuma Vihari, Shreyas Iyer, Ankit Bawne, Ishan Kishan (wk), Jalaj Saxena, Saurabh Kumar, Basil Thampi, Avesh Khan, K Vignesh, Ishan Porel