BCCI announces India squad for T20I series vs West Indies, Tilak Varma the only new face

Talented Mumbai Indians left-hander Tilak Varma was the only new face in an otherwise tried and tested Indian T20 squad led by Hardik Pandya, which will play five T20 Internationals against the West Indies, starting August 3 in Trinidad.

Senior batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have not been picked once again, an indication that they have been phased out of the shortest format of the game.

The Hyderabad left-hander has been a notable member of the Mumbai Indians side for the past two seasons and with a strike-rate of 142-plus in 47 games, batting at No 5 has obviously attracted the national selection panel’s, led by Ajit Agarkar, attention.

While KKR left-hander Rinku Singh has missed out, it was more about not having a slot at the same position, considering there will be Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya and Sanju Samson also in the middle-order.

Two players who have made international comebacks are pacer Avesh Khan and leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi.

The team has three wrist spinners with Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal also being part of the 15-member squad.

India’s 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.