India vs West Indies: Chance for KL Rahul to stake claim for opening slot along with Rohit Sharma

As team India gears up to face West Indies in the first T20I of their three-match series in Hyderabad, it will be a good time for KL Rahul to stake a claim for the opener’s spot along with Rohit Sharma, while young wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant is set to get another chance to prove that he deserves a place in the squad for the T20I World Cup next year.

The Caribbean side on the other hand, will be glancing for some vengeance, having lost 3-0 when India faced them last.

With Indian skipper Virat Kohil making a comeback in the T20 squad, after being rested in the series against Bangladesh, KL Rahul is expected to open the Indian innings along with Rohit Sharma.

KL Rahul executed an impressive knock in the third T20I against Bangladesh with a brilliant fifty as India edged the series decider. Rahul has so far been remarkable in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as an opener and would want to make capital out of the opportunity to show why he should open the innings for the men in blue.

Sanju Samson, who was selected for the Bangladesh series and dropped without even playing a single game, has been recalled to the squad as Shikhar Dhawan’s replacement. Samson’s presence in the team will only exacerbate furthur pressure on Rishabh Pant, who had a depressing series against Bangladesh.

In the bowling attack, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Kuldeep Yadav have come back to the squad. While Bhuvneshwar Kumar was out recovering from an injury, Kuldeep has been disregarded by the selection panel since India toured New Zealand in February. Mohammed Shami has also made it to the squad.

Deepak Chahar, who registered the best figures in T20Is in the series decider against Bangladesh, will look to make an impression on his senior fast bowlers.

On the other hand, West Indies will look to get out of the woods after their 2-1 T20I series defeat against Afghanistan. Chris Gayle better known as the Universe Boss has opted out of the ODI series and will not be featuring in the T20I series as well.

Also Read: Sourav Ganguly gives advice to under fire Rishabh Pant ahead of West Indies series