India vs West Indies 1st T20I: IPL stars collide as India stick to T20 plan

With the Test and ODI series in the bag, India will look to end the West Indies tour on a high with the T20I silverware as well, but this is the format where the visitors probably would be tested to the maximum. Yes, before failing to qualify for the ODI World Cup earlier this year, West Indies had failed to reach the main event of the 2022 T20 World Cup but the shortest-format stars who have returned to the squad for the upcoming assignment, who were missing during the ODI matches, make the hosts a daunting opponent. Stars return to West Indies squad These players and the rest of the Windies squad also have another added motivation going into the T20Is against India — the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) starts on 17 August, four days after the five-match T20I series ends. The squad players would be looking to make a mark before the start of CPL and the superstars would want to be in the best of the rhythm. Another reason why the T20Is matter more is the 2024 T20 World Cup which will be played in the Caribbean and the USA. Both for West Indies and India, every T20I is a chance to sort out the team combinations. Returning to the West Indies squad is explosive batter Nicholas Pooran who recently helped MI New York win the Major League Cricket (MLC) trophy with a century in the final. Jason Holder, Odean Smith and Akeal Hosein are also back in the squad.

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T20I mode 🔛#TeamIndia | #WIvIND pic.twitter.com/Ftpp4AINGI

— BCCI (@BCCI) August 3, 2023

India stick to T20I plan Coming to Team India. The criticism for failing to win an ICC title and playing an outdated style of T20 cricket, made the selectors rest senior players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from the squad in the shortest format of the game ever since the 2022 T20 World Cup was done. India have continued with a similar plan with Rohit and Kohli missing and Hardik Pandya leading the team. The current squad includes a few new names which could mean a couple of debuts for India in the T20I series. After making his international debut in Tests, Yashasvi Jaiswal looks set for his first T20I. He is expected to open alongside Shubman Gill while Sanju Samson or Ishan Kishan could get the No 3 spot. Whoever plays, it will be a continuation of their audition for the ODI World Cup. Tilak Varma who has been the most crucial middle-order batter for Mumbai Indians in recent seasons could also get a debut but it would be interesting to see where he bats. Suryakumar Yadav largely bats at No 4 in T20Is but if India are looking at him as a finisher for the ODI World Cup then he may drop down and Tilak could bat at No 4 or he may bat at No 5 or 6, before or after Pandya. In the bowling department, Mukesh Kumar could make his debut after Test and ODI debuts. Arshdeep Singh is expected to play while Avesh Khan and Umran Malik may take the bench. Among spinners, India could play the pair of ‘KulCha’ or Ravi Bishnoi may get one spot. Axar Patel at No 7 looks like a certainty. India likely playing XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan/Sanju Samson, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (c), Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar West Indies likely playing XI: Kyle Mayers, Johnson Charles, Nicholas Pooran, Shai Hope, Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell (c), Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Obed McCoy, Oshane Thomas LIVE Streaming: The first T20I will be played at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad and will start at 8 PM IST. The match will be broadcast across the Doordarshan Network, including DD National and DD Sports. The match will also be LIVE streamed on Fancode and JioCinema. Pitch report and weather conditions: The third ODI at Tarouba resulted in India scoring 351/5 batting first. In the only T20I at the ground in 2022, India scored 190/6 before putting up a strong defence. The pitch is thus expected to be batting-friendly again. The weather however could play spoilsport as there’s a 40% chance of rain. India T20I squad: Ishan Kishan (wk), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, Surya Kumar Yadav (VC), Sanju Samson (wk), Hardik Pandya (C), Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Umran Malik, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar West Indies T20I squad: Rovman Powell (C), Kyle Mayers (VC), Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Obed McCoy, Nicholas Pooran, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith, Oshane Thomas