India sealed the three-match ODI series against the West Indies registering their 13th consecutive ODI series win over the Caribbean team. But there is a quick turnaround for both teams with only a day's gap before the T20I series gets underway. The five-match T20I series in a ODI World Cup year looks strange but it also gives an opportunity for the Men in Blue to build a team for the next year's T20 World Cup.
As has been the norm, senior players - Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma - continue to be 'rested' from the format while Jasprit Bumrah will be easing his way back with the Ireland T20Is. Hardik Pandya is again leading a kind of new-look team and it seems certain that Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill will open the innings. However, if Yashasvi Jaiswal is handed a debut, he can also open and in that case, who will bat at three will be the question.
There is a chance of Tilak Varma also getting a debut as he is specialist middle-order batter. In that case, Jaiswal might have to wait while Suryakumar Yadav bats at three and Tilak at four. Sanju Samson's place in the team is always a point of discussion but he looks set to bat at five and play as a specialist batter as well with Kishan expected to do wicketkeeping duties.
Skipper Hardik Pandya and all-rounder Axar Patel are certain to play too. In the bowling attack, there are quite a few option to pick. Yuzvendra Chahal might play his first game of the tour with Kuldeep Yadav warming the bench. With the ball, there is every possiblity of Mukesh Kumar making his debut after impressive performances in Tests and ODIs on the tour. The other two pacers in the line up could be Arshdeep Singh and Umran Malik while the likes of Avesh Khan and Ravi Bishnoi might have to wait a bit more to take the field in the series.
India playing XI for 1st T20I vs West Indies: Ishan Kishan (WK), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (C), Sanju Samson, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Umran Malik
