India vs West Indies, 1st T20I, Eden Gardens.

After getting whitewashed in the ODI series, it is time to hit back to the Windies side with the T20I series. Some serious changes needed to be made in the Indian side as their batter failed to make big scores in the ODIs. With T20I World Cup ahead this year, both teams will be looking to play their best possible 11 in the game.

India vs West Indies in T20Is: India is ahead with 10-6 out of 17 matches played.

In the last two T20I series WI played in India, WI won none of them. This is the third bilateral T20I series between the two sides. But the team combination and form might be on the Caribbean side in this series. While India is still looking for the best combination for playing 11 after the top order failed to perform in the ODIs.

Team News:

India:

Axar Patel, KL Rahul, and Washington Sundar will not be available. Kuldeep Yadav will replace Washington Sundar.

Avesh Khan, Mohammad Siraj, and Harshal Patel are among the fast-bowling attack for India. These pacers will be key for India in preparation for the upcoming World Cup in Australia where pacers are key in this shortest format of the game. KulCha is likely to make their way into the playing 11.

Probable XI: R Sharma(C), I Kishan, V Kohli, R Pant(WK), S Iyer/S Yadav, H Patel, M Siraj, Y Chahal, K Yadav/V Iyer, A Khan/S Thakur, D Chahar.

Team management is riddled with the number 4 position. Should Pant bat at 4 or play the role of a finisher? SKY or Iyer at 4 & 5? Should go for Venkatesh Iyer or leggie Kuldeep? Should India increase batting depth with Iyer or bowling strength with Kuldeep?

WI:

Pollard is fit and available for the series. Kyle Mayers and Rovman Powell are back for the T20s.

Caribbean top order struggled against early swing and Rohit will surely use Deepak and Siraj to get similar results, again.

Probable XI: B King, K Mayers, N Pooran(WK), R Powell, K Pollard(C), J Holder, R Shephard, F Allen, O Smith, A Hosein, S Cotterrell.

Top Scorers: H2H

  1. Rohit Sharma: 519 runs, 1x100s, 4x50s, 1x30s, 43.25 avg, 141.42 SR
  2. Virat Kohli: 501 runs, 5x50s, 1x30s, 62.63 avg, 154.63 SR
  3. Kieron Pollard: 292 runs, 2x50s, 2x30s, 32.44 avg, 126.41 SR
  4. Rishabh Pant: 222 runs, 2x50s, 2x30s, 27.75 avg, 135.37 SR
  5. Nicholas Pooran: 151 runs, 1x50s, 1x30s, 30.20 avg, 125.83 SR

Top Wicket Takers: H2H

  1. Kuldeep Yadav: 4M/4I, 8W, 7.75 Eco., 12 SR, 15.50 avg
  2. Sheldon Cotterrell: 6M/6I, 7W, 6.75 Eco., 20.57 SR, 23.14 avg
  3. Deepak Chahar: 4M/4I, 6W, 7.93 Eco., 14.50 SR, 19.17 avg
  4. Yuzi Chahal: 3M/3I, 4W, 9.09 Eoc., 16.50 SR, 25.00 avg

Fantasy Picks:

WK: R Pant, N Pooran, I Kishan

Batsmen: R Sharma/V Kohli, S Yadav, R Powell

AR: J Holder/K Pollard

Bowlers: D Chahar, K Yadav, A Hosein/S Cotterrell H Patel

Punt Picks: S Cotterrell, K Yadav, A Hosein, I Kishan

C/VC: R Sharma, V Kohli, J Holder (Common)

I Kishan, D Chahar, K Yadav, R Powell (Punt)

Cotterell will be a threat to the top-order if he bowls in the first inning, as the Indian top-order is weak against the left-arm pacers. In-form Holder will be a threat in the initial overs of the inning with his swing.

Will Hitman Rohit Sharma rule the Eden Gardens as always? Will Virat Kohli make his comeback? Or Caribbeans will take away the T20 series too with another whitewash?