India vs West Indies T20I series: Hardik Pandya to lead Team India, SKY named deputy; Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli rested

India vs West Indies T20I series: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that Hardik Pandya will lead the Indian T20 squad in the Caribbean in the absence of Rohit Sharma. Mumbai Indians left-hander Tilak Varma was the only new face in an otherwise tried and tested Indian T20 squad, 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.

Alert: #TeamIndia's squad for T20I series against the West Indies announced. https://t.co/AGs92S3tcz

— BCCI (@BCCI) July 5, 2023

Varma has been a notable member of the Mumbai Indians side for the past two seasons. With a strike rate of 142-plus in 47 games while batting at No 5, he has caught the eye of the national selection panel led by Ajit Agarkar.

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

Pacer Avesh Khan and leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi are the two players who have made international comebacks. The team has three wrist spinners with Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal also being part of the 15-member squad.

India vs West Indies T20I series: India 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.

Catch the latest stock market updates here. For all other news related to business, politics, tech, sports, and auto, visit Zeebiz.com.