India's Predicted Playing XI against Windies for 1st T20I

India sealed the Test series against the Windies in an emphatic way. But after the one-sided Test outings, the hosts were surprised by visitors competitiveness in white ball cricket. What was supposed to be an irrelevant and unmatched affair, turned out to be a hard-fought and nerve-racking affairs until the third ODI. After that, the Indian camp, boosted by the comeback of their senior bowling pair were on another level and conquered the visitors to win series by a hefty 3-1 scoreline.

With the fifty-overs fixtures done and dusted, the Men in Blue now gear up to host the Caribbean side in the shortest format of the game, with the first T20I set to be played at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday, November 4.

After the conclusion of the second ODI, the Indian selection panel revealed a 16 member squad for the T20I series against the West Indies, which took the cricket fans by storm as India's captain cool Mahendra Singh Dhoni was not considered.

Apart from him Virat Kohli has been rested for the series, while Rohit Sharma will bear captaincy duties in his absence and this will be his fifth full time assignment as skipper.

Squad for West Indies T20I Series : Rohit Sharma (Skipper), Shikhar Dhawan, Lokesh Rahul, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Manish Pandey, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (wk), Krunal Pandya, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Khaleel Ahmed, Umesh Yadav and Shahbaz Nadeem.

With the first T20I coming up at the Eden Gardens in a couple of days, India would like to take early honours in the short series. Though they will be happy with their performance in the third one, they know that one can't take the Windies team lightly especially after their performance in ODI series.

So without much ado, let's take a look at India's predicted playing XI for the fourth Test.

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Top Order

#1 Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma's consistency in the zrecent past and ability to rack up the big scores put him well ahead of other openers in the world. The Indian T20 skipper is on the roll at the moment and proved to be the core of their batting line-up.

In the recently concluded ODI series against the same opponents, he amassed 389 runs comprising two centuries and a fifty. While is coming off an impressive 56 ball hundred in his previous T20 game against England. The way he is playing at the moment, the skipper is no less than nemesis for the opposition side.

#2 Shikhar Dhawan

Shikhar Dhawan

The Gabbar of Indian cricket, Shikhar Dhawan, is likely to open the batting with skipper Rohit. The opener has not been in the best of form in recent times and failed to score a big one after the conclusion of Asia Cup 2018, while he managed just 19 runs in the T20I against England.

Though he might get a chance in the first T20I on the basis of his starts in ODI series against same opponents. The left-hander managed respective scores of 4, 29, 35, 38 and 6 in five ODI's. Despite getting a go-ahead for the first T20, the batsman must put his best one forward, else he might be asked to make way other aspirants in upcoming fixtures.

#3 KL Rahul

KL Rahul

Lokesh Rahul is one of few pure T20 entertainers is likely to feature in the opening fixture of T20 segment. The Karnataka wicketkeeper-batsman has not been able to make his way into the playing XI during the ODI series but is expected to break into the top order on the basis of his performance in Ireland and England, where he plundered 70 against Ireland before scoring an unbeaten century against England. He will be eager to make full use of the opportunity and solidify his stance for upcoming fixtures.

Middle Order

#4 Dinesh Kartik

Dinesh Kartik

At no. 4 would be the top performer of the Nidahas Trophy, Dinesh Kartik. Who can forget his memorable outing in the tri-series final against Bangladesh. His incredible 8-ball 29, which led the social world on fire and earned him a vociferous praise from the cricket fraternity.

Despite his heroics, the batsman was not given an opportunity against the British, which demonstrates the competition and reality of Indian cricket. Though, in the current squad composition, which misses a few famous names, he is the likely candidate to earn his spot in the playing XI call against Windies.

#5 Manish Pandey

Manish Pandey

Manish Pandey is one those players, who haven't got many chances to prove their worth. The Uttaranchal batsman was part of Indian T20 squad that toured Ireland and England. Despite being with the squad, the 29-year-old was not able to crack into the playing XI. Though he played games against Ireland and scored an unbeaten 21 in his sole outing against them, he was excluded thereafter.

In his 21 innings for India, the Nainital boy scored 515 runs at a decent average of 42.96 and remained unbeaten on nine occasions. In the absence of Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya, he is the likely candidate to make it into the playing XI.

Middle Order

#6 Rishabh Pant (Wicket-Keeper)

Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant is currently seen as India's future after Dhoni, that's why the youngster has been given perfect chance to prove his worth in playing XI. Pant is very well known name in local circuit due to his measured big hitting skills. Delhi batsman also holds the record for fastest (32 Balls) T20 century by an Indian batsman.

In his 38 IPL outings Pant scored 1248 runs at an average of 35.66, while posing an impressive strike rate of 162.71, which are enough to prove his credentials as a T20 batsman. In Dhoni's absense, the Haridwar boy is set to feature in all T20 matches against Windies as a Wicketkeeper-batsman and he will be eager to make full use of that opportunity and solidify his place permanently.

#7 Krunal Pandya (All-rounder)

Krunal Pandya

Krunal Pandya, elder brother of Hardik, is likely to find his place for the first T20I against Windies. The elder Pandya is mostly known for his all-round show in Indian Premier League, where he represents Mumbai Indians franchise.

The 27-year-old featured in 37 IPL games and scored 708 runs and has taken 28 wickets with his best being 3/14. He also poses a batting strike rate of almost 154 in this format and has the ability to play big shots. In the absence of Hardik, the elder one is most likely to fill that slot.

Lower Order/Bowlers

#8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Bhuvneshwar Kumar is one of India's frontline pacers, with the ability to thrash any lineup under any circumstances. He is the go-to man for the Men in Blue when it comes to bowling. There are rare chances when this guy had a bad outing and once again be their major pace weapon against West Indies side.

The pacer was not an easy hit in the recently concluded ODI series and picked up three wickets in his three outings and is likely to keep his place in the T20I format as well.

#9 Kuldeep Yadav

Kuldeep Yadav

Kuldeep Yadav bamboozled the Carribean lineup in the recently concluded ODI series and finished his as the leading wicket-taker with nine wickets in five games with his best being 3/42.

While in case of his T20I performances, the left-arm Chinaman has picked up 24 wickets in 12 outings and has quite a decent economy of 7.29. Considering the Windies batsmen's weakness against quality spin attack, Kuldeep is set to be included in the first T20. He would look to create havoc in the Carribean batting line-up in T20I series too.

Lower Order/Bowlers

#10 Jasprit Bumrah

Jasprit Bumrah

Bumrah has been a lucky charm for India. The Indian pacer proved his worth in his comeback match. Bumrah took a four-fer on his comeback despite ending on a losing cause, he didn't let the Carribean side to score freely and ended with figures of 4/35 in his quota of 10 overs. Despite picking just two wickets in next two games, his economy of 2.95 clearly demonstrates his effectiveness.

He is a match-turner with the ability to bowl in death and Powerplay overs, he is guaranteed a spot in playing XI. He has always been a welcome addition to the side and could prove to be the X-factor with the ball in T20I series as well.

#11 Yuzvendra Chahal

Yuzvendra Chahal

Yuzvendra Chahal bowled steadily in the ODI series and picked up five wickets in first three games, before being dropped for final two ODI's. The spinner is capable to provide crucial breakthroughs in the middle overs and contribute more to the team's cause in T20I series.

Though he will get tough competition from Khaleel Ahmed, who ended with seven wickets in ODI series but with the pitch expected to assist spin, Chahal might be given the preference.