(Cricket news) BCCI have announced the 18-man squad for the 3-match T20I series West Indies. All 3 games will be played at the Eden Gardens. India will properly begin their preparations for the T20I World Cup in Australia later this year. India's last series was the 3-0 win against New Zealand right after the T20I World Cup.

Squad:

Rohit Sharma(C), KL Rahul (VC), Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Surya Kumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk),Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Washington Sundar, Mohd. Siraj, Bhuvneshwar, Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel

Virat Kohli and Shardul Thakur, who were rested in the New Zealand series are back in the squad. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami are once again rested while Ravindra Jadeja is still not match fit. Ravi Bishnoi has earned his maiden call up while Washington Sundar is back after his injury. Venkatesh Iyer and Bhuvneshwar Kumar keep their place in the squad despite being dropped from the ODI squad.

Ravichandran Ashwin is dropped presumably due to his poor performance in the two ODIs against South Africa. He had a decent World Cup and performed well in the New Zealand series as well. It is now very clear that the selectors want to keep Ashwin exclusively for red ball as Washington Sundar is the primary off spinner in both the white ball squads. The question is that if Ashwin is dropped due to poor performance in the ODIs against South Africa why isn't the same done with Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Axar Patel will be available for the T20Is and not for the ODIs.

IPL orange cap winner Ruturaj Gaikwad is axed from the squad without being given a chance in the team. The selectors clearly want Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan to be the openers with Virat Kohli as the 4th option. It’s a very harsh call on Gaikwad who despite being called up in the T20s against New Zealand and the ODIs against South Africa is yet to make his international debut. He has been retained in the ODI squad and could get a chance against the West Indies.

Despite rumors, Shah Rukh Khan hasn't been called up as India still lacks a genuine finisher who bats at 6 or 7 for his IPL team. Overall the selectors have made a few big calls in the squad. The intention of trying to improve the white ball situation must start from the selection and so it has. While the choices are bold, they could work in the long run. The Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid era is about to go in full flow with a very busy calendar coming up for India.

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