IND vs WI 2021-22, 1st T20I: Men in Blue eye winning start, Windies aim for payback

After three dominating one-sided One-Day Internationals (ODIs) that India clean swept 3-0 against the Windies, the two teams face-off in three Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). On Wednesday, the opening T20I will be played at the iconic Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata. With the Men in Blue eyeing another clean sweep, the Caribbeans will be eager for payback as we present the preview of this clash.

Current form
The last T20I series that India played was against New Zealand at home, which India blanked 3-0. As for the Windies, it is coming off a hard-fought 3-2 win against England at home. Thus, judging by the current form, momentum favours the Indians.

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Team strength & weaknesses, and players to watch out
As for India's squad, it has moved in with a bowling-heavy side compared to its nine batters. However, given the star power in the batting line-up, it should not be considered lean. The likes of skipper Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Rishabh Pant, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar are the ones to watch out.

On the other hand, Windies has a tide heavy bowling attack. Nevertheless, just like India, it has star powers in both departments to turn things around. Skipper Kieron Pollard, Darren Bravo, Roston Chase, Jason Holder, Nicholas Pooran, Sheldon Cottrell, Odean Smith and Hayden Walsh could be game-changers.

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Injury concerns and head-to-head
Fresh into the series, none of the sides has any injury scares. Both teams have played 17 T20Is to date, with India leading 10-6. In India, of the seven meetings, India leads 5-2, while in Kolkata, the hosts have won the only game to date.

Weather and pitch report
The Kolkata weather would be soothing, with the temperature expected to be around 16-29 degrees. The pitch is traditionally slow but can be good to bat in the current weather, while dew might play a factor, as chasing would be preferred.

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Probable XI
IND: Rohit Sharma (c), Ishan Kishan (wk), Venkatesh Iyer, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Deepak Hooda, Mohammad Siraj, Deepak Chahar/Shardul Thakur, Harshal Patel and Yuzvendra Chahal.
WI: Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Rovman Powell, Jason Holder, Kieron Pollard (c), Fabian Allen, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith, Akeal Hosein and Sheldon Cottrell.

Fantasy XI
Batters: Rohit (c), Yadav, Powell - Rohit will give the right start, with Yadav dominating at number three, while Powell would consolidate in the middle-order. Rohit's reliability makes him the skipper.
Wicketkeepers: Pooran, Pant - Pooran will be Rohit's ideal opening partner, while Pant would be a strong finisher.
All-rounders: Holder (vc), Sundar - Holder has been effective with the bat of late, thus making him Rohit's deputy, while Sundar has been impactful with his spins.
Bowlers: Chahar, Chahal, Harshal, Smith - Chahal is a no-brainer here with his spins, while the remaining trio has been deadly in the format with their pace.

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Match details
Date and day: February 16, 2022 (Wednesday)
Venue: Eden Gardens Stadium, Kolkata
Time: 7 PM (IST)
Where to watch (TV): Star Sports 1 and Star Sports 1 Hindi (also available in HD)
Where to watch (Online): Hotstar