Rishabh Pant all set to be included in ODI squad against Windies

Will skipper Virat Kohli be rested for the series?

Rishabh Pant might get a call up for the ODIs against the Windies. Image Source: twitter

XtraTime Web Desk: It will be interesting if Indian captain Virat Kohli decides to opt out for a few matches in the forthcoming ODI series against West Indies. The Indian team is slated to play five ODI’s against the Caribbean’s starting from October 21. Kohli decided to take a break during the recently concluded Asia Cup in Dubai. Considering the tough series coming up against Australia later this year where the Men in Blue will play 3 T20I’s and ODI’s apart from taking part in 4 test matches, the selection committee in discussion with Kohli may give him rest. The decision to take rest will entirely depend on Kohli. If Kohli does take a break then Rohit Sharma will lead the team as he did during the Asia Cup in Dubai.




The selectors are likely to give Rishabh Pant the break in the shorter format. The dashing wicketkeeper batsman from Delhi has already left a mark with his exploits with the bat in the longer format. Pant scored a hundred on debut against England at Oval and followed it up with an aggressive 92 against West Indies in the first test match at Rajkot.




It will be interesting if the selectors prefer to go in with three wicketkeepers in the fifteen member squad, which looks unlikely. Both MS Dhoni and Dinesh Karthik were in the Asia Cup squad. There aren’t any doubts as to who will be the first choice wicketkeeper as MS Dhoni will be donning the wicket-keeping gloves. So, the axe might fall on the Knight Riders wicket keeper, considering KL Rahul too can do a decent job with the gloves if required.




As far as the bowling is concerned, the bowling attack will have the same look as it was during the Asia Cup. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah will share the new ball. Ravindra Jadeja, who shined with the ball after making a comeback in the shorter format, will keep his place. Jadeja replaced Hardik Pandya during the tournament after the later got injured. Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzuvendra Chahal will share the spin department with Jadeja. Deepak Chahar or Khaleel Ahmed may likely retain their place in the squad. The axe might just fall on Manish Pandey, who has had a poor run of late since getting a chance against Afghanistan.




The fifteen member squad may look like: Virat Kohli (C) ,Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma,  KL Rahul, Kedar Jadhav, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni, Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzuvendra Chahal, Suddharth Kaul and Deepak Chahar/ Khaleel Ahmed.