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India have named a young 15-member squad for the five T20Is to be played against the West Indies in August. Hardik Pandya will continue to lead the Indian team in the shortest format and Suryakumar Yadav once again has been named as his deputy.
With the 2024 T20 World Cup to be played in the Caribbean and the USA, the five T20Is could be a building block to what India's playing XI could look like for the showpiece event. Some fresh faces have been named on the T20I side, while some proven performers have also received a callback, both thanks to a strong IPL 2023 season.
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, and Mukesh Kumar.
On that note, let's take a look at the players from each IPL team that have been picked in the squad for the West Indies T20Is:
Mumbai Indians
Suryakumar Yadav unquestionably makes the squad. He is arguably the best T20I batter in the world at the moment. Ishan Kishan had a mixed bag when it comes to IPL 2023, but he still showed glimpses of the destruction that he is capable of in the powerplay and has kept his place in the T20I squad.
Consistent performances in domestic cricket as well as in the past two IPL seasons saw Tilak Varma being fast-tracked into the Indian team's scheme of things. The southpaw showed that he is versatile enough to bat anywhere in the middle order, being comfortable against both pace and spin. The fact that he can bowl as well is an added bonus.
Gujarat Titans
The Gujarat Titans have two representatives in the Indian T20I squad in the form of captain Hardik Pandya and star batter Shubman Gill. IPL 2023 is where Gill absolutely exploded, scoring 890 runs at an outstanding strike rate of 157.80 with as many as three hundred.
The star opener showed that he is more than capable of adjusting his game across formats and has arguably cemented his spot at the top of the order.
Hardik's ability to bowl with the new ball will be handy in these and it will be interesting to see the position where the Indian captain bats in this series.
Rajasthan Royals
Just like Gill, another young Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal had an IPL 2023 to remember. He scored 625 runs for the Royals at a mind-boggling strike rate of 163.61. His fearless brand of cricket and ability to attack from ball one could be the X-factor India need in the shortest format.
Sanju Samson has received a callback into the T20I team and has a great opportunity to finally fulfil the promise that he has shown with his talent over the years. Yuzvendra Chahal had another prolific season in the IPL for RR and continues to remain in the scheme of things in T20Is.
Delhi Capitals
While the Delhi Capitals had an IPL 2023 to forget, they have as many as three players in the T20I squad. The spin duo of Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav have been consistent with the ball.
Axar's highly-improved batting ability will also be crucial for the Men in Blue as they still look for a strong No.7 batter who can be a finisher.
Mukesh Kumar continues to be a part of the T20I squad after impressive performances in domestic cricket. He also showed glimpses of his skills for the Capitals in the IPL.
Lucknow Super Giants
Ravi Bishnoi and Avesh Khan were both part of the squad the last time India toured the West Indies for T20Is. After a spell away from the team, both have been called back and will get a good opportunity to prove their mettle.
While Bishnoi was impressive for Lucknow, Avesh seemed to have lost that extra yard of pace. With a number of pacers injured, Avesh has the opportunity to really impress the team management and the selectors with consistent performances.
Punjab Kings
Arshdeep Singh's stature has grown with his performances for India for the past 12 months. While there have been times when he has struggled with the no-ball issue, Arshdeep continues to be one of the most promising youngsters who can go on to become an absolute match-winner for the Men in Blue.
Sunrisers Hyderabad
Umran Malik's express speed and that X-factor has helped him get a look into the T20I squad. The speedster had a woeful IPL 2023 and was also dropped from SRH's playing XI. However, he has another chance to redeem himself and prove just why his raw pace makes him a unique bowler.
