The Indian cricket team is all set for the upcoming tour of West Indies which will be a multi-format series which consists of 2 Tests, 3 ODIs and 5 T20I matches. The tour will start with the Test series from July 12 which will be followed by ODI and T20I series. This Test series also marks the beginning of the WTC 2023-25 cycle of the Indian team.
Meanwhile, the Indian Cricket Board has announced the squad for the T20I series on Wednesday, July 5. Many new faces are included in the team, young players like Tilak Varma and Yashasvi Jaiswal will be making their T20I debut for India. They were phenomenal during the recently concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 which helped them to get their maiden international call.
Avesh Khan selected for the T20I series
However, many fans were disappointed after Kolkata Knight Rider's star batter Rinku Singh wasn't included in the squad, Rinku was brilliant in the IPL 2023 but still couldn't find any place in the squad. Surprisingly, Lucknow Super Giants speedster Avesh Khan, who had a disappointing season in the 16th cash-rich league's edition, got a place in the squad for the T20I series. Young leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi is also back in the squad after getting dropped from the team earlier this year.
Since experienced players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma were left out of India's T20I team for the five-match T20I series against WI, the selectors decided to give fresh talent a chance. The star all-rounder Hardik Pandya will continue to lead the national side in the shortest format while Sanju Samson is also included in the T20 squad. Suryakumar Yadav, a powerful middle-order hitter, has been chosen as the vice-captain.
Indiaโs T20I squad against West Indies: Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan (wk), 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.
Here's how fans reacted:
Sanju is in
โ Samir ๎จ (@SamirPubgWtf) July 5, 2023
But no Place for Rinku Singh ๐ค
Who selected this team? Last time from Chetan kr first time by Ajit Agarkar?
โ Anubhav K๐๐ฎ๐ณ (@Anubhav_Memerz) July 5, 2023
Avesh Khan ๐คก
โ EL_DORADO_07 (@EL_DORADO_1818) July 5, 2023
Nobody watch this without rohit ownd kohli tbh
โ You suck (@vijay_m8n) July 5, 2023
Dotman pill all ready for stadpadding
โ VK18 ๐ (@Pakratkohli) July 5, 2023
No Rinku Singh pic.twitter.com/cdO9Yhu8Kk
โ ` (@buttlerhive) July 5, 2023
Good decision. Virat and Rohit should be permanently sacked from the t20i format.
โ โ (@TheNaziLad) July 5, 2023
Umran avesh Mukesh ๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ
โ Sumit (@Sumiiit21) July 5, 2023