IND vs WI T20I Series: Agarkar's strong message to Kohli and Rohit, litmus test for Samson - 6 Key takeaways

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The newly-appointed India chief selector Ajit Agarkar in his first assignment picked a 15-member India squad with four other selectors on the panel for the upcoming five-match T20I series against West Indies on Wednesday.

A strong message to former captains Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma has been sent by Agarkar's senior India men's selection committee. Given that the next T20 World Cup is scheduled to be held in West Indies in the US, the selection gives a blueprint of India's T20I setup in the foreseeable future.

India squad for West Indies T20Is: 6 key takeaways

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's T20I career over?

The two former captains have been left out once. Two back-to-back failed attempts in 2021 and 2022 where they led India once each in the UAE and Australia respectively, has dented their prospect in the shortest format of the game massively.

Kohli and Rohit haven't played a single T20I match since India's exit from the semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2022. Both have gone on record to state that their T20i careers are not over, however, Ajit Agarkar and Co. have made it clear that fresh talents and young bloods would be given priority.

Rohit's performance in the IPL also hasn't been great over the years. However, Kohli had turned back the clock in the IPL 2023 and piled up over 600 runs including two hundreds.

The full-fledged T20I careers of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are very well over. Only a successful India campaign at the ODI World Cup 2023 and an extraordinary IPL 2024 can help the superstar players barge into the squad once again.

What about Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Shami?

The star all-rounder's name is also missing. Have they fallen into the category of their long-time teammates Kohli and Rohit? We will have to wait for India's next T20I assignment for confirmation. Jadeja is part of the Test and ODI series, while Shami has been rested for the entire tour now.

Both these players were in top forms during the IPL 2023. Jadeja scored 190 runs at a strike rate of 142.85 and was the star on the night of final as he hit a last-ball boundary to hand Chennai Super Kings (CSK) their fifth IPL title. He also picked 20 wickets. Shami, on the other hand, won the Purple cap with 28 scalps at an average of 18.64.

We can expect these two star players to return in the T20I squad for later assignments.

Rinku Singh fall behind in pecking order

There were calls to include Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma and Rinku Singh in India's T20I squad as the trio set the IPL 2023 stage on fire. While Jaiswal and Varma have earned an India call-up, Rinku has been ignored.

Rinku, a middle-order batter, hasn't found a place despite the absence of Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant. Suryakumar Yadav, Varma, Sanju Samson alongside captain Hardik Pandya have formed the middle-order for now.

The rise of Axar Patel as a batter might also have dented Rinku's chance. His presence would have meant three left-hand batters (Axar, Varma, Rinku) forming a clutter in the middle-order.

Major show of confidence in Yashasvi Jaiswal and Mukesh Kumar

Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and pacer Mukesh Kumar, who were in the stand-by list of players in the WTC final, have found place together in the Test and the T20I squad now. Mukesh is also part of the ODI team. The management and the selectors have shown major confidence in these two players. It's up to them to grab the opportunity now.

Sanju Samson in line to play the next two World Cups

Having made his debut in 2015, Sanju Samson should have played at least one World Cup in any of the formats but the talented Kerala batter has failed to do so.

First Rishabh Pant and then Ishan Kishan took the pole position wicketkeeper-batter's slot. The opportunity is there in front of him once again and these could very well be the last ones for him. He is now part of the ODI as well as the T20I squad and a solid and consistent outing can stamp his place for the next two World Cups.

The same also means that Ishan Kishan would also have the pressure to be consistent with the bat now. With the arrival of Yashasvi Jaiswal India already have three openers including Shubman Gill. Samson also opens for his IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals (RR) and so does injured KL Rahul for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)

A lot of movement in the bowling department

Umran Malik is being fast-tracked in literal sense. After being named in the ODI squad, the Jammu and Kashmir tearaway pacer also finds place in the T20I squad. All these despite a forgettable IPL 2023 campaign which saw him pick just five wickets in eight matches at an average of 43.40 and an economy rate of 10.85.

Avesh Khan has also been given an opportunity for first time after October 2022. He picked eight wickets in nine IPL 2023 matches. Leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi who last played for India in September 2022 has also been brought back in the mix of things. He is joined by Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal in the spin department.

Mohammed Siraj has been rested and the new-look pace unit of Arshdeep Singh, Avesh, Umran and Mukesh will be tested. Selectors have very smartly organised a mini competition of sorts in the bowling unit.

India's T20I squad: Ishan Kishan (wk), Shubman Gill, 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