Bhuvneshwar Kumar returns
West Indies captain Shai Hope won the toss and elected to bowl first, citing the conditions and his team’s batting depth as key factors behind the decision. India captain Shreyas Iyer confirmed two changes to the side, with Shivam Dube and Bhuvneshwar coming into the playing XI.
Shivam Dube and Bhuvi come in for us, two changes,” Iyer said at the toss. Guys are looking forward to it,” Hope said. “Quick turnaround. The wicket looks pretty good. We just have to be aggressive, not get pressed too much. It’s important that we seize the game. Important to put the best foot forward. They have a good array of shots, they have been playing solid and power-packed cricket. We need to think about our strengths as well. West Indies skipper Shai Hope opted to field first, believing his side would benefit from chasing in the shortened contest. “We are going to bowl first. Rain around, but it’s a good pitch. That gives us the best chance to chase it. We tend to have a lot of batters. Focus is on bowling, it’s a shortened game. I just think we finish the series strong.
With the five-match series locked at 2-2, the shortened encounter leaves little room for error, with the winner set to clinch the series. With persistent rain disrupting proceedings, the series decider has been reduced to a nine-over-per-side contest. Bhuvneshwar’s inclusion comes after Arshdeep Singh’s participation was in doubt following an injury sustained during India’s chase in the fourth T20I. The veteran seamer had recently returned to India’s international plans after being named in the T20I squad for the upcoming series against New Zealand, and has now been drafted into the playing XI for the series decider.