Team India players, for the first time, in last few years will not be playing any cricket for a month. They lost the WTC Final on June 11 against Australia and will next take the field on July 12 on the West Indies tour. India will be playing two Tests, 3 ODIs and 5 T20Is on the tour. The T20I series is set to commence on August 3 and former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh has picked a new-look India squad for the T20I series.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have not been playing the T20 format since the World Cup last year and Hardik Pandya is leading the side. Harbhajan has picked up all the top performers in the Indian Premier League (IPL) this season and has included as many as six uncapped players in the squad.
The likes of RInku Singh, Tilak Varma, Akash Madhwal, Jitesh Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal impressed in their department during the cash-rich league this season and the off-spinner has selected all of them in his squad. Interestingly, he has gone with as many as four openers in his line-up - Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ishan Kishan.
Among the uncapped players, Harshit Rana's inclusion is surprising given the fact that he didn't play many matches for Kolkata Knight Riders this season but seems to have impressed the former India cricketer. However, Harbhajan's other picks are spot on with Rinku Singh living up to his potential with the bat this season smashing runs in the death overs at will. Tilak Varma shined for Mumbai Indians last season as well and IPL 2023 was no different for the youngster either.
Jitesh Sharma is being looked at as a potential finisher and wicketkeeper thanks to his exploits for Punjab Kings in last two seasons while Yashasvi Jaiswal was the Orange Cap holder at one stage this season while opening the innings for Rajasthan Royals.
Harbhajan Singh's India T20I squad for West Indies series: Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, RInku Singh, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (C), Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma, Ravi Bishnoi, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Akash Madhwal
