KOLKATA, Feb 15: Flush with exciting talent and focussed on the T20 World Cup in eight months’ time, the Rohit Sharma-led Team India would be aiming to get its combinations right when it takes on the West Indies in a three-match series beginning here on Wednesday.
After newly appointed India white-ball vice-captain KL Rahul suffered an injury in the second one-day international against West Indies at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Rishabh Pant has been promoted to vice-captaincy for the upcoming three-match T20I series against the Carribeans.
India will look to make amends for their T20 WC oust and rebuild the side with a packed T20 calendar lined up ahead of the marquee event in Australia beginning October 16.
Rohit would be looking to sort out issues such as the opening blues, the middle-lower order conundrum and also the bowling strategies.
First up would be the opening combination and who would be ideal to partner the skipper in the shortest format with his regular partner KL Rahul out with a left hamstring strain.
Ishan opened in the first match of their preceding three-match ODI series against the Caribbean team in Ahmedabad but the skipper also tried out Rishabh Pant and Shikhar Dhawan.
Rohit also has options in Ruturaj Gaikwad who has been in red hot form but has only been warming the bench. Then there is Venkatesh Iyer.
It will also be interesting to see if Virat Kohli comes out to open with Rohit to get among the runs as he has been dealing with a lean patch.
This will help Rohit try out both Shreyas Iyer and Surkyakumar Yadav in the same XI. India also have some exciting options lower down the order with the likes of Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar and Harshal Patel.
Yuzvendra Chahal will be India’s regular spin option but it remains to be seen if exciting Rajasthan leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi gets a maiden call up.
Unlike their bad show in the ODI series, the Kieron Pollard-led West Indies would look to give a strong fight to the hosts in their favourite T20 format.
Boasting of T20 specialists, the Windies came here after beating England 3-2 at home in a thrilling five-match series.
They bat deep and with some aggressive hitters, the West Indies will hope to give India a tough fight. Jason Holder has been in fine form for them too.
With some exciting all-round options in Odean Smith and Akeal Hosein, Pollard’s men would look to make it count at a venue where they won the T20 World Cup in 2016.
India
Rohit Sharma (C), Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Surya Kumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (VC & WK), Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Deepak Hooda, Kuldeep Yadav and Harpreet Brar.
West Indies
Kieron Pollard (C), Nicholas Pooran (VC), Fabian Allen, Darren Bravo, Roston Chase, Sheldon Cottrell, Dominic Drakes, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Brandon King, Rovman Powell, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith, Kyle Mayers, Hayden Walsh Jr.
Match begins at 7 pm IST. (PTI)
