After an exciting 3-0 whitewash in the ODI last week, India will seek to get their combinations right against the Caribbeans in the T20 International series in Kolkata starting Wednesday ahead of the T20 World Cup which starts in eight months’ time in Australia. (More Cricket News)
India were the pre-tournament favourites but made a shocking group stage exit in the last T20 World Cup held in the UAE last year. The shambolic campaign exposed loopholes in the team combination and temperament, spoiling Virat Kohli's swansong as T20 skipper.
The India vs West Indies first T20I will start at 7 PM IST at Eden Gardens on Wednesday. Star Sports has the broadcast rights for the series. The India vs West Indies match can been seen on Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 HD, Star Sports 1 Hindi, Star Sports 1 Hindi HD, Star Sports First, Star Sports 1 Tamil, Star Sports 1 Telugu, Star Sports 1 Kannada.
Disney+ Hotstar will live stream the India vs West Indies first T20I from 7 PM IST. India will look to make amends and rebuild the side with a packed T20 calendar lined up ahead of the marquee event in Australia beginning October 16.
Rohit, under whom Mumbai Indians have won five IPL titles, would be looking to sort out issues such as the opening blues, the middle-lower order conundrum and also the bowling strategies. And he will have a happy headache of plenty while trying to firm up the squad.
Unlike their flop 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. West Indies came here after beating England 3-2 at home in a thrilling five-match T20I 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 and took four wickets in four balls in the final ODI against England to return with career-best figures of 5/27.
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.
Squads
India: Rohit Sharma (captain), Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Surya Kumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), 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 (captain), Nicholas Pooran (vice-captain), 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.
