The national selectors will meet on Thursday (21st November) to select the Indian men’s team for the upcoming limited-overs home series against Windies. According to the latest reports from ABP News, one new face can be added in the Indian T20I squad and one spin-bowling all-rounder can make a return in T20I cricket.
After the upcoming historic day/night Test match against Bangladesh (starting from 22nd November), India will be busy in the limited-overs home series against Windies. India and Windies will play the three-match T20I series at first (6-11 December) and then they will play the three-match ODI series (15-22 December). It will be India’s last international cricket assignment in 2019.
India are currently the no.5-ranked T20I team. Though they are in good form in this shortest international cricket format too, they haven’t achieved consistent success yet.
Most recently, India drew the home T20I series against South Africa (by 1-1) and won the home T20I series against Bangladesh but after losing the first T20I (by 2-1 margin). One of the major reasons for India’s inconsistency in T20I cricket is not maintaining the playing XI.
While the captain Virat Kohli took a rest during the recently concluded home T20I series against Bangladesh, he may return to the national squad in the upcoming home T20I series against Windies.
As the Indian team management is busy to set up a challenging team for the next ICC Men’s T20 World Cup (2020), the national selectors can make a couple of changes in the full-member T20I squad.
Krishnappa Gowtham and Axar Patel can be added in the T20I squad
According to the recent report from ABP News, the bowling all-rounder Axar Patel can return to the T20I squad for the upcoming home series against Windies. The selectors are also looking to introduce the uncapped Krishnappa Gowtham in this forthcoming series.
The 25-year-old Gujarat all-rounder Axar Patel is currently playing in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2019/20. In this tournament, the left-arm spinner has taken seven wickets in six matches and also the left-handed batsman has scored 93 runs in four innings (average 46.50). The left-handed batsman scored 70* during their match against Saurashtra in this tournament. He was also in the good form during the recently concluded domestic List A tournaments.
After making his international debut in June 2014, Axar Patel has played 38 ODIs and 11 T20Is for India. He has taken 45 ODI wickets and nine T20I wickets while he has scored 181 ODI runs and 68 T20I runs. Axar played his last international match in February 2018 during the Cape Town T20I against South Africa.
On the other hand, the selectors can add the uncapped Krishnappa Gowtham in the T20I squad. The 31-year-old bowling all-rounder has recently come to the limelight in August during the Karnataka Premier League (KPL).
Playing for Bellary Tuskers against Shivamogga Lions on 23rd August 2019, Krishnappa Gowtham scored 134 not out off just 56 balls and also managed the bowling figures of 4-0-15-8. Both were the KPL records along with the fastest KPL century in 39 balls.
In the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, the Karnataka off-spinner has taken three wickets in four matches and also the right-handed batsman scored 59 runs in three innings (average 19.66).
Krishnappa Gowtham has played Indian Premier League (IPL) for Rajasthan Royals (2018-2019) and recently traded to Kings XI Punjab (KXIP). After playing 22 IPL matches, Gowtham has scored 144 runs and also taken 12 wickets.
Till the date, Krishnappa Gowtham ha played 53 T20s where he has scored 513 runs (average 15.08) and also taken 35 wickets.
In the meantime, Krunal Pandya and Rahul Chahar can face the exclusion from the T20I squad.
