Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah rested for West Indies T20 series, KL Rahul set to return to side

KL Rahul and Kuldeep Yadav`s inclusion for the five-match T20 series against West Indies is subject to the players clearing fitness test.

Out-of-form India batter Virat Kohli and pacer Jasprit Bumrah have been rested for the five-match T20 series against the West Indies, starting on July 29 in Trinidad & Tobago. Kohli, who missed the first ODI against England with a groin injury, remains uncertain for the second match as well.

Kohli has been in poor form through the series against England, scoring just 13 runs in two T20 matches against England. Former India captain Kapil Dev and ex-India pacer Venkatesh Prasad have questioned his position in the side as well with in-form Deepak Hooda dropped to accomodate him in the playing XI.

Bumrah, who became the No. 1 ODI bowler on Wednesday (July 13), claimed career-best figures of 6/19 in the first ODI on Tuesday. Team India opener KL Rahul is set to make a comeback in the side after missing the series against South Africa, Ireland and England due to a groin injury for which he underwent surgery in Germany.

Kuldeep Yadav has also named in the side but even his inclusion is ‘is subject to fitness’. There was, however, disappointment for Sanju Samson who was left out of the 18-man squad for the T20 games. The Rajasthan Royals captain was impressive in the second T20 against Ireland last month, scoring an impressive fifty.

Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has returned to the T20 scheme of things, brightening his chances in the lead up to the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia later this year. Young pacer Umran Malik though was not selected for the West Indies T20 games after turning out in couple of games in Ireland and the third T20 against England.

Punjab Kings left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh retains his place in the T20 side led by Rohit Sharma, after an impressive debut against England in the first T20 match. The 18-man side also features the likes of Deepak Hooda, Dinesh Karthik, Harshal Patel and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

India’s squad for 5 T20Is: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Ishan Kishan, KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Shreyas Iyer, Dinesh Karthik, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, R Ashwin, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh.