New Delhi, Aug 12: The BCCI on Friday (Aug 12) announced a 14-member India squad for upcoming Twenty20 International series against West Indies in the USA.

Team India to play two T20Is against West Indies" title="Team India to play two T20Is against West Indies" />Team India to play two T20Is against West Indies

Mahendra Singh Dhoni continues to remain the captain of the team. The 14-member outfit will witness the return of as many as 11 regular players who were rested from the tour to Zimbabwe in May earlier this year.

The 2 matches will be held back-to-back on August 27 and 28 in Florida's Fort Lauderdale where Caribbean Premier League matches have been held. It will be the first time when India is going to play a cricket match on US soil.

With this T20 series, the BCCI aims at expanding its reach in the USA for there is a big Indian diaspora in the USA.

The notable players who will be making their return to the team are vice-captain Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja, the pace trio of Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Umesh Yadav besides the spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Amit Mishra.

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Here is the 14-member squad

1. MS Dhoni (captain and wicketkeeper)

2. Rohit Sharma

3. Shikhar Dhawan

4. Virat Kohli

5. Ajinkya Rahane

6. KL Rahul

7. Ravindra Jadeja

8. Ravichandran Ashwin

9. Jasprit Bumrah

10. Mohammad Shami

11. Bhuvneshwar Kumar

12. Umesh Yadav

13. Amit Mishra

14. Stuart Binny

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Dhoni and Jasprit Bumrah are the only players in the squad, who are in India as of now, while rest of the players are already on the tour of West Indies for the Test series.

Senior cricketers Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh have been ignored for the series. The trio will be playing in the Duleep Trophy tournament in Greater Noida during that time.

While Yuvraj will lead India Red, Raina will captain the Indian Green team in the four-day match domestic tournament.

Interestingly, pacer Bumrah, who has been named in India Green team for the Duleep Trophy, has been selected for the US tour, which means he will not play the India Green's first match against India Red from August 23-26.

According to sources, the team has been carefully handpicked keeping in mind the Duleep Trophy, which will be played under lights and with pink balls for the first time.

"With the seniors and India 'A' teams in US and Australia, the first Duleep Trophy under lights and with pink balls would have needed a bit of star value," a BCCI source said.

Wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha, Test specialists Cheteshwar Pujara and Murali Vijay besides pacer Ishant Sharma, who are currently playing the Test series in West Indies, have been left out and will fly back to India after the conclusion of the fourth and final Test on August 22.

The venue is Central Broward Regional Park. Keeping in mind the Indian TV audience, the matches will start at IST 7:30 pm.

OneIndia News

(With inputs from agencies)