Tilak Varma gets maiden call up as India announce squad for T20 series against WI

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the T20 squad for the upcoming five-match series against the West Indies. Mumbai Indians’ batsman Tilak Varma has received his first-ever call-up to the Indian team, marking a significant milestone in his career.

The leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi has also made a comeback to the national team. The squad will be led by captain Hardik Pandya, with Suryakumar Yadav serving as his deputy. Notably, star players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have not been included in the squad for this series.

Varma has been an impressive performer for the Mumbai Indians in the last two seasons. His batting prowess, evident from his strike rate of over 142 in 47 matches while batting at No. 5, has caught the attention of the national selection panel, headed by Ajit Agarkar.

Unfortunately, KKR left-hander Rinku Singh has missed out on a spot in the T20 squad. This is primarily due to the lack of available positions in the middle-order, considering the presence of Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, and Sanju Samson in that role.

Yashasvi Jaiswal, who is set to make his Test debut in the upcoming week, has been included in the T20 squad following an exceptional performance in the IPL.

Two players who have made a comeback to the international arena are pacer Avesh Khan and leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi.

The team boasts three wrist spinners, including Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal, who are both 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.