India vs Windies T20I Series 2018: Analysing India’s squad for the series

India were dominant in the Test series handing the Windies two humiliating defeats. There wasn’t too much for them to cheer about apart from Roston Chase who had a very good series.

India’s spinners and a spirited Umesh Yadav ensured India had an easy outing as far as the Tests go. The ODI series was more of a contest with Shai Hope and Shimron Hetmeyer impressing with the bat for the Windies. They managed to defeat India in one game and tie another.

India on the whole look settled with Ambati Rayudu’s consistent run of form at the #4 slot providing India with some relief. There are certainly some issues that need solving before the World Cup like the backup for Jasprit Bumrah and the lack of a quality sixth bowling option in the absence of Kedhar Jadhav.

The tour moves on the 3-match T20I series starting on November 4th at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens Stadium. In the format which will most likely suit the Windies and their style of playing, we take a closer look at the Indian squad that’s going to clash against them in this series by presenting a detailed analysis on them:

The team is full of confidence and self-belief

India have been in very good, consistent form in the shortest form of the game. With them just having the ODI series against the Windies 2-1, their morale and self-confidence will be quiet naturally high heading into the T20I series.

With Rohit Sharma leading the side, and with most of the regulars featuring in the side, they are bound to provide Windies stiff competition. And what would favour them the most is that they will be playing in familiar home conditions which would help some of the youngsters joining the squad for the T20I’s only feel comfortable and help them perform better.

Jasprit Bumrah: The leader of the bowling attack

In an Indian team desperately searching for a death overs' bowler, Jasprit Bumrah came to the fore through the Indian Premier League, as a boon for cricket in the country. The scantily-built pacer from Gujarat has managed to perfect the art of bowling inch-perfect Yorkers perfecting the art, which is similar to Lasith Malinga who was a part of the Mumbai Indians franchise and has grown into an indispensable asset for the Indian team in the limited-overs format.

Arguably, India’s biggest asset as far the bowling goes- Jasprit Bumrah upon return from injury provided immediate results. His accuracy and control at the death overs will prove to be the perfect foil for the likes of the spinners and Umesh Yadav and Khaleel Ahmed against the Windies batsmen.

All of 24 years old, Jasprit Bumrah is a focused and exciting talent who has shown himself to be a fast and eager learner. Possessing the ability, temperament, and work ethic to be India's next spearhead and in the age of the death-over specialist, Jasprit Bumrah is here to stay.

The series gives an opportunity for players to cement a spot in the team

The perfect opportunity for KL Rahul to cement his place in the T20I and ODI team

The squad for the T20I series against the Windies has been selected keeping one eye on the ICC World T20 to be played in 2020. The clear emphasis on young talent and people who have consistently performed in the domestic circuit is visible.

Also, this series gives the opportunity to the likes of KL Rahul, Manish Pandey and Dinesh Karthik to make their chances count and cement their place in the team. With the middle-order lacking the experience of both Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni for this T20I series, these three batsmen must play sensibly and take responsibility.

Someone like a KL Rahul who has shown the world what he’s capable in the T20 format with his scintillating performance in the IPL 2018, should relish the opportunity to bat higher in the batting order in this T20I series. He would surely look at giving a signal to the selectors through this series as he has been kept out of the playing XI in ODI’s more often than not.

With the ball as well, the likes of Khaleel Ahmed would want to have a good series. Everyone knows that he offers the much-needed variation this bowling line-up requires, and he has had a good series against the Windies in the ODI’s too.

A test for India’s fragile middle-order and inexperienced bowling attack

A great chance for Windies to taste success

An Indian batting line-up without the likes of Ambati Rayudu, Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni certainly makes it look fragile. The likes of Virat Kohli has been the backbone of many a chase in T20is for India. But their absence gives the likes of KL Rahul, Manish Pandey, DK and Rishabh Pant the platform to make a name for themselves.

But it gives the Windies the perfect opportunity to test the fragility in the middle order. If their batting boosted by the likes of Dinesh Ramdin, Kieron Pollard and Carlos Brathwaite can fire from all cylinders, then this Indian batting will have too much dependence on their openers, Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan.

The same logic applies to the bowling attack. With Jasprit Bumrah leading the attack it looks fairly strong and competent. But it remains to be seen if the support cast of Umesh Yadav, Khaleel Ahmed and the spinners can be as effective as they were in the ODI’s.

Simply because Windies have a very strong batting line-up that includes their T20 specialists- Kieron Pollard, Carlos Brathwaite and Dinesh Ramdin along with Shemron Hetmayer who impressed one and all in the recently concluded ODI series with his clean hitting especially on the leg side.

Rishabh Pant: Can he prove to be the perfect replacement for MS Dhoni?

The slip in MS Dhoni’s form with the bat in both ODI’s and T20I’s is pretty evident, especially in the last 12-15 months. He is taking far too many deliveries to get going and his ability to finish games seem to have left him. It’s quite ironical as the same MS Dhoni was at his imperious best for CSK in IPL 2018 a few months back.

With the selectors clear in their view that they are looking ahead to the next ICC World T20, and that they don’t see MS Dhoni featuring in that, they have decided to groom Rishabh Pant as the wicket-keeper batsmen for India in the T20Is.

It’s quite obvious that he would be compared with MS Dhoni, but that should not let it affect his natural style of play. A very impressive talent, Rishabh Pant would be relishing the opportunity to express himself in the shortest format of the game.

He sure is going to be there for a long period of time and hence his selection ahead of MS Dhoni in the team. Rishabh Pant certainly would be the most talked about and discussed player from this series as he’s replaced someone who is an icon in India- MS Dhoni.

How well can he cope with that pressure? If he can repeat his exploits of the IPL 2018, then we certainly are in for a cracker of a series!