India on Thursday announced an 18-man squad for the T20I series against West Indies, beginning on July 29 in Trinidad with big names — Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Yuzvendra Chahal missing out.
Kohli, who was out of the 1st ODI against England with a groin injury, has not been included for the T20Is in the Caribbean as well. However, BCCI in its official release hasn’t mentioned whether he has been rested or not picked due to injury. On the other hand, the names of pacer Bumrah and leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal are also missing from the squad.
The squad will be led by Rohit Sharma while KL Rahul and Kuldeep Yadav, who had missed the home series against South Africa due to respective injuries, have made their comeback. However, their inclusion in the squad is subject to fitness.
“The inclusion of KL Rahul and Kuldeep Yadav is subject to fitness,” a BCCI release said.
Meanwhile, Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant, who have been rested from the ODI leg, will play the T20Is. The squad also sees the return of veteran off-spinner R Ashwin, who hasn’t featured in India’s T20I side since the home series against New Zealand last November.
After a long hiatus from the white ball group, Ashwin made a comeback in the T20I World Cup last year but has not been a regular fixture in the side since, with injuries also playing a part in his exclusion His return will boost up the spin department that also has the Kuldeep, Ravi Bishnoi, Axar Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja.
IPL sensation Umran Malik, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Sanju Samson, who were a part of India’s squad for the first T20I against England, don’t find a place in the squad. The selectors have rewarded left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh after his impressive debut, including him in the seam bowling department along with Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, and Harshal Patel.
Having made his T20I debut in Ireland, Malik was also part of the recently concluded T20I series in England, which India won 2-1. In his lone outing in Nottingham, he conceded 1 for 56 off his four overs. On the other hand, took 2 for 18 in an impressive debut in the opening T20I, when he troubled England’s openers with the late swing.
India is set to play three ODIs and five T20Is on the tour of the Caribbean. India had earlier named an ODI squad, which will be led by Shikhar Dhawan in absence of regular members.
The first T20I will be played at the Brian Lara Stadium in Trinidad, followed by the other two games, both of which will take place at Warner Park in St Kitts. The series will conclude with the final two games to be played at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground in Florida.
India’s squad for 5 T20Is: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Ishan Kishan, KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Shreyas Iyer, Dinesh Karthik, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, R Ashwin, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh.
