India T20I Squad Vs West Indies: Full List Of Players In And Out

India have announced a 15-member squad for the five-match T20I series against the West Indies, with Shreyas Iyer continuing as captain and Tilak Varma retaining the vice-captaincy. The series begins in Lucknow on October 6 before moving to Ranchi, Indore, Hyderabad and Bengaluru.

The selection comes at an interesting stage for India, with several regulars occupied with the Asian Games and the selectors also looking at younger options ahead of the next phase of the T20I cycle.

One of the biggest talking points is the inclusion of 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who has been rewarded with another opportunity at the senior level.

Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson are the two wicketkeeping options, while Abhishek Sharma, Shivam Dube and Nitish Kumar Reddy provide further batting and all-round depth. Kuldeep Yadav also returns to the T20I squad after missing out on some of India's recent assignments.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Gets Another Chance, Kuldeep Returns

Sooryavanshi's selection is arguably the most eye-catching change. The teenage batter has been included alongside Abhishek Sharma, giving India multiple aggressive options at the top of the order. His presence also means the selectors are continuing to expose him to the senior international environment at a remarkably young age.

Kuldeep Yadav's return is another significant development. He joins Axar Patel, Washington Sundar and Ravi Bishnoi to give India four specialist spin options. The squad also features Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson, meaning India have retained two established wicketkeeper-batters rather than relying on a single option.

The pace attack sees Arshdeep Singh retained, while Prince Yadav and Mayank Yadav have been included. Mayank's selection is particularly noteworthy given his previous fitness interruptions and his status as one of India's high-pace prospects. Meanwhile, Jasprit Bumrah is not part of the West Indies T20I squad, as he is included in India's Asian Games group.

Who Missed Out and Why the Squad Looks Different

The biggest difference from India's earlier T20I groups is the absence of several players involved in the Asian Games setup. Jasprit Bumrah, for instance, is part of the Asian Games squad rather than the West Indies T20I group. Nitish Kumar Reddy, however, has been selected for the West Indies T20Is after initially being named in the Asian Games squad; he was subsequently moved into India's ODI group as well, according to the latest squad announcement.

Varun Chakaravarthy and Harshit Rana are also absent from the West Indies T20I squad. Varun has been ruled out of the Japan T20I and Asian Games with a side strain, while India's updated Japan and Asian Games squad has undergone further changes.

The other notable omissions are Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya, neither of whom features in India's West Indies white-ball squads. Pant has instead been named captain of Rest of India for the Irani Cup, while Hardik is set for a return to competitive cricket against Australia A, subject to fitness clearance.

India's T20I squad: Shreyas Iyer (C), Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ishan Kishan (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Tilak Varma (VC), Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav and Mayank Yadav.