The last match of India’s tour of the West Indies and the US kicked off on Sunday in Florida. But the Men In Blue were without their regular skipper Rohit Sharma. Instead, it was all-rounder Hardik Pandya who led the side in the fifth and last T20I of the series.
Hardik Pandya was named the vice-captain for the series after KL Rahul had been ruled out after contracting covid-19 at the NCA. Pandya came out at the toss on Sunday to join the West Indies captain Nicholas Pooran.
Rohit Sharma rested for the fifth T20I
Pandya announced as many as four changes to India’s eleven that had thrashed West Indies on Saturday in the fourth T20I by 59 runs. Rohit Sharma, who had clattered 33 off 16 balls a day ago, has been rested from this game as part of his workload management, and also this gives an opportunity to other players.
One of the changes, Ishan Kishan got the chance to open in place of Rohit while Shreyas Iyer, who was dropped from the previous game, returned to the eleven and partnered Kishan at the top as Suryakumar Yadav has also been rested.
Hardik Pandya, who himself was rested from the fourth T20I, now comes in for Rishabh Pant while leg-spinner Kuldeep Yadav gets his first opportunity of the series, having recovered from an injury that he’d sustained after the IPL 2022, as senior pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been rested.
With the series in the bank, India can afford to rest their key players while this paves way for others to make a mark as the Asia Cup selection looms this week.
Hardik Pandya won the toss and elected to bat first at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium, Lauderhill, Florida.
Here are the two teams for the fifth T20I:
West Indies (Playing XI): Shamarh Brooks, Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran(c), Devon Thomas(w), Jason Holder, Odean Smith, Keemo Paul, Dominic Drakes, Obed McCoy, Hayden Walsh, Rovman Powell
India (Playing XI): Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson, Hardik Pandya(c), Deepak Hooda, Dinesh Karthik(w), Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Avesh Khan, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh
