WI vs IND: India's Predicted Playing XI for 4th T20I

India went 2-1 in the five-match T20I series against West Indies after defeating the hosts comprehensively by seven wickets, with an over to spare on Tuesday (August 2) at Warner Park. The visitors were set with a challenging target of 165 on a sticky surface in St. Kits by the Caribbean side after Kyle Mayer’s wonderful 73 off 50 deliveries. The Men in Blue were rocked early in the chase as skipper Rohit Sharma walked off the field after sustaining a back spasm.

Suryakumar Yadav turned the Indian team’s tricky chase into a gentle procession with a sensational knock of 76 runs off 44 deliveries. The Caribbean bowlers looked powerless against the ace batter’s innovative shot-making skills as Indians cantered home with an over to spare.

The fourth T20I between the sides will be played in Florida after much deliberation over the visa issues. India will be eyeing another white ball series victory following their triumph in the ODI series.

Here’s a look at India’s predicted playing XI against West Indies for the Third T20I

Openers: Rohit Sharma (c) and Suryakumar Yadav

The Indian skipper Rohit Sharma’s inclusion in the decisive fourth T20I was in doubt as he suffered a minor back issue in the previous game, but the flamboyant opener has been declared fit for the game and will be looking to continue from where he left off in the previous encounter.

India’s man of the moment, Suryakumar Yadav, never looks out of touch and had played a few cameos since his astonishing ton against England last month, but he finally produced a telling knock from his bat to remind everyone of his unfathomable all-round stroke-making abilities. The onus will be on the openers to provide India with a brisk start as they continue their attacking intent with the bat.

Middle Order: Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dinesh Karthik

Although Shreyas Iyer was part of a match-winning 100+ run stand with Suryakumar Yadav, he struggled for the most part of the partnership and was dismissed for 24 runs, scoring less than a run-a-ball. This series could be his last chance to stake a claim for the upcoming Asia Cup tournament with the T20 World Cup in sight.

Deepak Hooda is the biggest threat to Iyer’s place in the squad as the right-hander has showcased his batting prowess on a few occasions now and becomes a vital cog in the side with his handy overs with the ball in hand. He didn’t get too many deliveries to face in the last game but will be looking to play a much bigger role in the upcoming match.

Rishabh Pant played a smooth innings in the previous match, quite unlike him, as he calmy secured Indian’s victory after the departure of Suryakumar Yadav. The good news for India is that the southpaw hasn’t looked rushed at the crease and seems to enjoy his batting more and more these days, an ominous sign for the opposition bowlers.

India’s designated finisher Dinesh Karthik’s services were not required in the third T20I, and the veteran was a mere spectator for much of the game. But Karthik will be hoping to leave a mark on the selection committee with his batting exploits in the death overs as he did in the series opener.

All-rounders: Hardik Pandya and Ravichandran Ashwin

The Windies were off to a flier in the third match and were looking set to a handsome total after negotiating the early threat of the Indian quicks. But the introduction of Hardik Pandya halted the momentum of the hosts as he initially broke the 57-run opening stand by sending Brandon King back to the pavilion, before choking the flow of runs after the powerplay.

Pandya was complemented superbly by the veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who conceded just 26 runs in his four overs, out of which 11 came from his very first over. His wily variations were a nuisance for the Caribbean batters, especially skipper Nicholas Pooran, who was adamant about not giving his wicket to the offie again.

Bowlers: Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh

Bhuvneshwar Kumar has established his place in the Indian T20I setup and is probably the first name on the plane to Australia for the T20 World Cup later this year. He has become one of the most dependable Indian bowlers in the squad, and Rohit Sharma’s most trusted attacking option right now.

Harshal Patel is likely to be drafted in for the crucial fourth match of the series in place of Avesh Khan, who has had a miserable couple of games, hemorrhaging runs every time he comes to bowl. Patel’s inclusion is a no-brainer in all honesty, as it provides the side with another death bowling asset.

The future of Indian fast bowling is here and is shining brightly at the moment as Arshdeep Singh has got Indian viewers excited with his nerves of steel in tough situations. The young bowling sensation never shies away from bowling the tough overs, and fans are eager to watch him team up with bowling ace Jasprit Bumrah in the future.

India’s predicted playing XI against West Indies for the third T20I:  Rohit Sharma (C), Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (WK), Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik, Ravichandran Ashwin, Harshal Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh