3 Key Takeaways From India's T20I Squad For WI Series
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma [Twitter]
It seems like ages since the Indian team have been in action. It has and is still a long and much-needed break for the players especially after the back-breaking IPL 2023 season which was followed by the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia in June where they had suffered a heartbreaking loss. However, a week later, Team India will be back in action for the first time since the WTC final, when they take on West Indies in a full-fixture tour.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have announced on Wednesday (5 July) a strong squad for the T20I series against West Indies to be played in the Caribbean Islands and in Florida, USA.
There were few notable omissions, and a few surprise selections. Here are 3 key takeaways from the India T20I squad.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma Dropped?
For the upcoming series, it seems like it is the time to say goodbye to the Former captain, Virat Kohli and the MI captain, Rohit Sharma. It looks like that the absence of Sharma and Kohli is not solely due to rest, as they have not been part of the last three T20 series, including the current T20I series against the West Indies. It would be the India's fourth consecutive T20I squad without Virat Kohli & Rohit Sharma after T20 World Cup 2022.
Welcoming Hardik Pandya as the captain for the team blue for T20I series against WI and SuryaKumar Yadav being the Deputy. Seems like the selectors have taken a harsh call, and a call that had to be taken regarding Kohli and Rohit.
Where is Rinku?
Ajit Agarkar took over as the new chief selector and the selection committee has left the fans in shock after the announcement as they have not included the heavy hitters. Rinku Singh, the hero of the IPL and with his stellar performance and surreal display of five sixes against Gujarat Titans, Rinku was expected to be on the flight for the Caribbean.
The KKR middle order batter was expected to be a part of the India T20I squad, but fans were left fuming when he was omitted from the team. Seems like Rinku still has a long way to go before he gets his maiden call-up.
Few surprise inclusions
Rahul Tripathi, Jitesh Sharma and Shivam Mavi were surprisingly excluded from the T201 series despite being a player with the intend of fantastic strike. On the other hand, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tilak Varma's unwavering performances in the IPL have paved a way to the Indian T20I squad against WI. It is their first call-up to the senior side in the shortest format.
The new faces in blue might bring luck to the team India in the T20I series. The T20I series will get underway in with the final match of the five-game series.
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