Mayank Yadav Sanju Samson (Source: AFP) The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Thursday, September 16, unveiled India’s squads for the upcoming multi-format series against the West Indies. Talking about the T20I squad, Shreyas Iyer will continue to lead the side, while Tilak Varma has retained his role as the vice-captain.The announced squad for the T20I leg has several interesting selections, with Jasprit Bumrah rested and the duo of Prince Yadav and Mayank Yadav making a comeback after being dropped from India’s squad for the Afghanistan T20Is and the Asian Games 2026.Notably, while Mayank Yadav has been backed for his valuable pace and is seen as a long-term prospect, Prince Yadav has become a much sought-after name in the fraternity after his exceptional IPL 2026 campaign.Since its inception in 2008, the Indian Premier League has produced several talented players who have gone on to become India’s trusted match winners.In the past, players like Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, and Suryakumar Yadav used the IPL as a launchpad and later became World Cup heroes for the national team. Along the same line, let’s dissect India’s squad for the West Indies T20I series and explore which IPL franchise has the most representatives in the squad.Punjab Kings (PBKS)- 2 playersShreyas IyerShreyas Iyer has had a dismal start to his captaincy career. Iyer took over from Suryakumar Yadav after India were crowned T20 World Champions for a record third time in March this year, but he suffered away series defeats to Ireland (0-2) and England (1-4) before winning his maiden series as captain.Nonetheless, favourable results in the Zimbabwe and Afghanistan series have given the team and the captain much-needed momentum going into the Asian Games 2026.Arshdeep SinghOne of India's most reliable T20I bowlers, Arshdeep Singh returned to the squad for the Afghanistan T20Is after being rested for the Zimbabwe tour. Singh has been highly impressive, taking 5 wickets in 2 games, the most so far in the IND vs AFG series.Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)- 3 playersAbhishek SharmaThe left-handed batter failed to make an impact in India’s recent Zimbabwe tour, managing only 11 runs across three innings. However, true to form, he bounced back exceptionally well in the T20Is against Afghanistan in Delhi.Also read: Abhishek Sharma Dethrones Pakistan's Sahibzada Farhan In Latest ICC T20I RankingsIn the two games so far, he has smashed an explosive 82 off 32 balls and 39 off just 19 balls. The quickfire innings came at an impressive strike rate of 256.25 and 205.26, respectively, helping India seal the series 2-0.Ishan KishanThe poster boy of redemption through domestic cricket, Ishan Kishan provides another wicketkeeper-batter option alongside Sanju Samson.The left-hander recently led East Zone to victory in the Duleep Trophy 2026, after a 13-year hiatus.Nitish Kumar ReddyAfter a long recovery from a couple of injuries, Nitish Kumar Reddy is finally back in the India white-ball setup. He was originally selected for the Asian Games squad, but the board withdrew him to prioritise the senior white-ball series against the West Indies.Rajasthan Royals (RR)- 2 playersVaibhav SooryavanshiThe Indian teenage prodigy, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who made a record-breaking international debut against England earlier this summer, keeps his place in the frontline batting unit. His attacking flair at the top offers lethal firepower alongside Abhishek Sharma.Ravi BishnoiBishnoi will join Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in India’s squad for the T20Is against the West Indies.A former world No. 1 T20I bowler, the leg-spinner has taken 68 wickets in 50 matches at an economy rate of 7.46. He has also enjoyed considerable success against the West Indies, claiming 11 wickets in seven T20Is - his highest tally against any opponent.Chennai Super Kings (CSK)- 2 playersSanju SamsonAfter being left out of India’s squad for the Zimbabwe tour, Sanju Samson returned for the Afghanistan T20Is.Also read: List Of Changes In India’s ODI Squad For West Indies As Compared To EnglandSamson made a strong statement in the 2nd T20I, smashing a 22-ball 57 after scoring only 10 in the series opener. This also marked his first T20I fifty since the 2026 T20 World Cup. Shivam DubeFollowing injuries to Hardik Pandya and Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube stepped up for India in the white-ball formats. He has been a dependable spin-hitter, batting lower in the order. Moreover, his efforts with the ball have been highly crucial for India in the past couple of years.Mumbai Indians (MI)- 1 playerTilak VarmaThe Mumbai Indian batter will continue as the national team’s vice-captain, deputy to Shreyas Iyer. Initially known as a stroke-player, he has evolved into a batter with greater control over tempo and situation management.Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)- 3 playersKuldeep YadavKuldeep Yadav, who has 95 wickets to his name in 54 T20Is, last played a 20-over match for the Men in Blue on February 15, 2026, against Pakistan in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. He was dropped for the England series and was not considered for the Asian Games either.Since the emergence of Varun Chakarawarthy as India’s leading mystery spinner, Kuldeep Yadav’s career has taken a backseat across white-ball formats.On top of that, his IPL 2026 campaign, where he took only 10 wickets across 11 games at an economy of 10.30, made matters worse. Thus, the inclusion in the West Indies T20Is has come as a breath of fresh air for the premier Indian spinner.Prince YadavPrince Yadav was earlier ruled out of the third and final T20I against Zimbabwe after suffering a hamstring injury during the previous match.Also read: Prince Yadav's Injury Forces Him To Walk Off The Field; Doubtful For IND Vs ZIM 3rd T20I?After being sidelined for the Afghanistan T20Is, Prince has been recalled to the Indian T20I squad for the upcoming white-ball series against the West Indies in October 2026. Mayank YadavWith Jasprit Bumrah rested and Harshit Rana still recovering from his injury, Mayank Yadav has also returned to India’s T20I setup. Earlier, the LSG pacer marked his long-awaited comeback to Indian colours with a hostile new-ball burst in the opening T20I against Zimbabwe.However, he was once again sidelined for the Afghanistan series, as senior pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh were called back.Thus, the upcoming 3-match T20I series gives Mayank another chance to prove his mettle.Delhi Capitals (DC)- 1 playerAxar PatelAxar Patel’s recent performances for India have not produced the expected returns. On top of that, his IPL 2026 performance - 173 runs and 11 wickets in 14 games - further worsened his case.However, given his potential, the selection committee has once again trusted him as an all-rounder in its T20I squad against the West Indies.Gujarat Titans (GT)- 1 playerWashington SundarGautam Gambhir’s trusted all-rounder, Washington Sundar, very recently fully recovered from his right hamstring injury and was officially cleared to play by the the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.Although he was named in the squad against Afghanistan, he did not get a chance to feature in the first 2 T20Is.Also read: Not Vaibhav Sooryavanshi! Finn Allen Picks The Best T20 Batter In The World
.jpg?type=mq "India Players Who Could Have A Last Shot At World Cup 2027 In West Indies ODIs")
