IND vs WI 2026/27, IND vs WI 1st T20I Match Preview

Big Picture – The Sooryavanshi question

Three days after securing the Asian Games gold in Japan, India will face West Indies in a five-match T20I series which gets underway in Lucknow. Twelve of the 14 players who were part of the Asian Games squad are also in the squad for the West Indies T20Is, and the final XI in Lucknow could closely resemble the one that faced Pakistan in the gold-medal contest.

The key question for India will centre on the personnel at the top of the order. India had Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi open the batting at the Asian Games, with Sanju Samson coming in at No. 3. However, they are likely to go back to picking two out of the three in the XI, with Ishan Kishan slotting in at No. 3.

Samson had a below-par time in Japan, but is likely to retain his place after back-to-back fifties in the T20Is against Afghanistan. Abhishek is expected to be a lock in, and that could mean Sooryavanshi will have to wait for his opportunity. The rest of the middle order is likely to feature the usual suspects in Shreyas Iyer, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube and Nitish Kumar Reddy.

West Indies, on the other hand, will hope to carry some of the momentum from the third ODI into the T20I series. They have brought in a few power-packed reinforcements for the T20Is in the form of Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell and Romario Shepherd and will want to create a few dents over the next couple of weeks.

Form guide

India WWWWW (last five completed T20Is, most recent first)
West Indies LLWLL

In the spotlight – Ishan Kishan and Shimron Hetmyer

Ishan Kishan has been one of the major success stories for India in T20Is this year. Ever since his comeback to the Indian team, he has managed to maintain consistency in a fickle format and has been the fulcrum of the Indian top order. Kishan is the leading run-scorer in T20Is this year: 1005 runs in 29 matches at 37.22, while maintaining a strike-rate of 169.47. He also has a stellar record at Ekana Stadium, with three fifties and a century in nine T20 innings, while averaging 66.57 and will want to continue with his good form here.

Shimron Hetmyer was in red-hot form at the CPL 2026, finishing the tournament as the second-highest run-scorer, with 367 runs in 12 innings while maintaining a strike-rate of 197.31. He wasn’t part of the ODI squad after being given an “extended recovery period post CPL” and will come in for the T20Is refreshed and hoping to make a splash.

Team news: Mayank or Prince; Kuldeep or Bishnoi?

With Jasprit Bumrah not included in the T20Is, Arshdeep Singh is expected to lead the fast bowling unit, with Reddy, Axar Patel and Dube being the all-round options. Ravi Bishnoi did not have the best of times at the Asian Games, and it is likely Kuldeep Yadav, who last played a T20I in February this year, will get a game. The other selection dilemma for India will be deciding between Mayank Yadav and Prince Yadav, both of whom have Lucknow as their IPL home ground.

India (probable XI): 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Sanju Samson, 3 Ishan Kishan (wk), 4 Shreyas Iyer (capt), 5 Tilak Varma, 6 Shivam Dube, 7 Nitish Kumar Reddy, 8 Axar Patel, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Mayank Yadav/Prince Yadav, 11 Arshdeep Singh

West Indies have added Amir Jangoo as cover for Jewel Andrew, who sustained a finger injury during the third ODI against India. Shai Hope was seen cramping up during the third ODI and did not train on the eve of the game, but is likely to start. If Andrew doesn’t get fit in time, West Indies could hand Kamil Pooran, who had a sensational CPL season, a debut. Shamar Joseph is expected to lead the fast bowling attack with Romario Shepherd, Matthew Forde and Shamar Springer as the pace options.

West Indies (probable XI): 1 Shai Hope (capt, wk), 2 Kamil Pooran, 3 Shimron Hetmyer, 4 Rovman Powell, 5 Sherfane Rutherford, 6 Romario Shepherd, 7 Shamar Springer, 8 Akeal Hosein, 9 Gudakesh Motie, 10 Shamar Joseph, 11 Matthew Forde

Pitch and conditions

Pitch No. 5, that is the centre pitch, will be in play for the Lucknow T20I. It is a mix-soil pitch – a mixture of a red and black soil. Runs came thick and fast in Lucknow during IPL 2026, and expect much of the same come Tuesday. There has been some rain around the city, which affected the practice session of both teams on Monday. There is, however, no rain forecast on match day.

Stats and trivia

Akeal Hosein is set to become only the fourth West Indies player to feature in 100 T20Is
Ishan Kishan is the only batter in the world to have recorded more than 1000 runs in T20Is this year
India have won 20 out of 31 T20Is against West Indies
India are yet to lose a T20I at the Ekana Stadium

Quotes

“In terms of the starting XI, like I said, we the guys just came back from an Asian game so we want to see how everybody is feeling after jetlag, after travelling and then from there make the plan.”
India bowling coach Morne Morkel on Samson vs Sooryavanshi

“Five T20s mean that if you’re playing in every one, the opposition can plan better for you each time. So it always about trying to stay one step ahead of the batter. Trying to be as clever as possible and just trying to get the job done for the team. I think that’s my general game plan.”
Akeal Hosein on bowling in the powerplay against hard-hitting India line-up

Ashish Pant is a sub-editor with Cricinfo

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