'This is what you call favouritism' - Twitterati vent frustration as team India drop Ishan Kishan for 3rd T20I against West Indies

The third T20I of the five-game series between India and West Indies commenced at the Providence Stadium on Tuesday, August 8. Team India will be expected to fight back in the ongoing game, in order to stay alive in the series. West Indies, on the other hand, are eyeing for a win to clinch the series, after registering resounding victories in the first two games.

The omission of India's promising wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan from the lineup garnered the most attention prior to the commencement of the game. Notably, the opening batter was dropped from the lineup after a dismal showing in the first two games. 

For the uninitiated, Kishan was the standout performer in the three-match ODI series against the West Indies, which the tourists won by 2-1. The 25-year-old was instrumental for the Men in Blue, scoring half-centuries in all three games and finishing the series with a total of 184 runs. As a result of his remarkable performance in the series, he was named the Player of the Series.

With all batters underperforming, India struggled in the first two T20I games. The bowlers, on the other hand, have performed admirably so far in the series.

Since Kishan was dropped out of the lineup, it made way for rising batting prodigy Yashasvi Jaiswal to make his T20I debut. Jaiswal recently impressed with 171 runs on his Test debut and a half-century in his second Test match. Meanwhile, veteran Kuldeep Yadav returned from injury and replaced Ravi Bishnoi in the third T20I. In addition, Jason Holder, the hero of the first T20I, was ruled out of the West Indies XI due to a knee injury, with Roston Chase taking his place.

In terms of the third T20I, the West Indies won the toss and opted to bat first. If West Indies win, it will be their first T20I series victory over India since August 2016, snapping a five-series losing streak. In contrast, India have never lost three T20I games in a bilateral series.