India gear up for World T20 with three-match series against West Indies
India’s captain Virat Kohli gives youngsters an opportunity to showcase their talent in the shortest format of the game in the upcoming series against West Indies. File / Reuters
Before leaving for the West Indies tour, skipper Virat Kohli had said the line-up of such trophies - World T20s in 2020 and 2021 -- ensured ‘players always had something to play for, look forward to’. And thus, the three-match rubber will provide him with the chance of giving youngsters an opportunity to showcase their talent in the shortest format of the game.
The series will serve as a great opportunity for the likes of Manish Pandey, Shreyas Iyer and Khaleel Ahmed, who missed out on a chance to play in the 50-over World Cup in UK.
All these three players performed well for the India ‘A’ side in the Caribbean Islands and would want to continue with their form and impress the captain as well as the selectors for future.
The series could also see Rahul Chahar and Navdeep Saini make their international debuts as many senior bowlers have been rested.
The only experienced campaigner in the pace bowling line-up is Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
In the batting department, Rohit Sharma is almost certain to be joined by his regular partner Shikhar Dhawan who got injured in England. KL Rahul will most likely be batting after Kohli if the team management doesn’t wish to give Iyer a go.
This should be followed by promising wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.
Meanwhile, India vice captain Rohit will be eyeing one more record when he comes out to bat in the three-match series.
Sharma, who has hit 102 sixes in 94 T20Is till now, is just four short of eclipsing the record for maximum sixes in the shortest format of the game, currently held by swashbuckling West Indies batsman Chris Gayle.
Gayle has 105 sixes to his credit in 58 matches, and is followed by New Zealand’s Martin Guptill who has smashed 103 maximums in 76 T20I matches he has played till now.
However, the 39-year-old West Indian will not be able to add to his sixes tally as he has been rested for the T20Is series and will feature in the subsequent ODI series.
Rohit already holds the record for being the highest run scorer in T20Is. He has amassed 2331 runs so far at an average of 32.37 with four hundreds and 16 half centuries.
The Men in Blue will go into the series as favourites even though West Indies are counted amongst the most dangerous sides in this format of the game.
The hosts, led by Carlos Brathwaite, have the likes of Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine and Andre Russell who are more than capable of turning the game in a flash.
In bowling department too, they boast of having the likes of Sheldon Cottrell and Oshane Thomas who are match-winners in T20 format.
Thus, fans can be rest assured of some fireworks in the three-match T20I series.
Indo-Asian News Service
Squads India: Virat Kohli (Captain), Rohit Sharma (VC), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant (WK), Krunal Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Rahul Chahar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed, Deepak Chahar, Navdeep Saini.
West Indies: John Campbell, Evin Lewis, Shimron Hetmyer, Nicolas Pooran, Kieron Pollard, Rovman Powell, Carlos Brathwaite (c), Keemo Paul, Sunil Narine, Sheldon Cottrell, Oshane Thomas, Anthony Bramble, Andre Russell, Khary Pierre.
