CHENNAI: 'PROCESS' and 'intent' have been the first word of Indian cricket dictionary over the past decade. Now, they have been replaced by 'transition'. While for the Test team it seems to have started with the No 3 spot, the T20I team has been on one since the last global event in Australia. As has been the case, both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are not included in the squad for what will be India's first T20I assignment after the Indian Premier League.
The bigger news, however, is that Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tilak Varma have earned their maiden India call-up for the five-match series against West Indies that is set to be played from August 3 to 13. While that was expected, both Shivam Mavi (part of the last T20I assignment) and Rinku Singh (who excelled for Kolkata in the IPL) not making the cut comes as a surprise.
Jaiswal, part of the squad that had gone to England for the WTC final, had a breakthrough year with Rajasthan Royals after a prolific red-ball season earned him his maiden Test call-up. Similarly, the southpaw from Hyderabad was one of the star performers for Mumbai Indians, helping them get to the play-offs. While it is yet to be seen whether Jaiswal starts in the playing XI with Ishan Kishan in the squad, it should not come as a surprise if Varma is infused into a packed middle-order that is likely to have skipper Hardik Pandya, his deputy for the tour, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson and Axar Patel.
Currently playing for Central Zone in the Duleep Trophy semifinal, Mavi took four wickets on Day One to rattle the star-studded West Zone batting. Rinku, too, is a part of the same team and is expected to bat on Day Two for Central Zone. With no place in the T20I squad, the duo are expected to play in the final should Central Zone qualify for the same.
In the bowling department, leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal will lead the group of young pacers including Umran Malik, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar, and Arshdeep Singh. Apart from Chahal, the squad will also have two wrist spinners in Kuldeep Yadav and Ravi Bishnoi. While the focus will be on the 50-over format until November, this T20I series followed by the one in Ireland which begins on August 18, will be the testing ground for the youngsters to make the transition into ODIs post the World Cup in India. Squad: Ishan (wk), Gill, Jaiswal, Tilak, Surya Kumar (vc), Samson (wk), Hardik (C), Axar, Chahal, Kuldeep, Bishnoi, Arshdeep, Umran, Avesh, Mukesh.
