The third match of the five-match T20 tournament between India and West Indies will take place on October 11th at Holkar Stadium in Indore. The game is scheduled to start at 19:00 Indian time. This match could be decisive for the series, which has reached a tense point.
After the second T20, which ended with West Indies defeating India by 6 wickets, the series is tied at 1-1. The team, led by Shreyas Iyer, aims to win the upcoming confrontation.
The debut of 15-year-old young batsman Vaibhav Suryavanshi at home ground is also being actively discussed, but his participation seems unlikely for now. Head coach Gautam Gambhir previously stated after the second T20 that the team might make adjustments to the middle order depending on circumstances, while wanting to maintain stability in the top order. Therefore, it is likely difficult to rule out the duo of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma, who are currently in good form, and the management will likely give them more opportunities. This means Vaibhav will have to wait.
Regarding the squad, Indian players who played in Ranchi were unable to effectively contain the aggressive batsmen of the West Indies. Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, and Naman Diar proved very costly in the match. In the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and Mayank Yadav are expected to retain their positions. However, Shivam Dube's performance in the second T20 was not outstanding, so there is a possibility of including Nitish Kumar Reddy instead of him in the starting XI. Nevertheless, the final decision will be made considering the pitch conditions and team strategy.
For their part, the West Indies team under the leadership of Guy Holder may refrain from significant changes to their starting lineup after the victory. In Ranchi, the team scored 250 runs, leaving nine wickets in hand. The brilliant play of Guy Holder and Sherfane Rutherford exposed weaknesses in the Indian bowling. The task for the West Indies is to maintain this aggressive momentum. Thus, for India, the challenge is not only to score a high total in attack but also to demonstrate better control in defense.
A possible Indian lineup for the third T20 includes: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (as wicketkeeper-batsman), Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer (captain), Tilak Verma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Naman Diar, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, and Mayank Yadav.
The projected West Indies lineup for the third T20: Guy Holder (captain/wicketkeeper-batsman), Kamil Pooran, Shimron Hetmyer, Romario Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Roston Chase, Romario Shepherd, Gudakesh Motie, Shar Springer, Akil Hussain, and Shar Joseph.
The Indian squad includes: Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (as wicketkeeper-batsman), Shreyas Iyer (captain), Ishan Kishan, Tilak Verma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Naman Diar, Prince Yadav, Mayank Yadav, and Kuldeep Yadav.