India vs West Indies: India’s strongest predicted XI for T20I series

India will field a balanced squad for the five-match T20I series against West Indies, with the opening match scheduled for October 6 in Lucknow. The series spans five venues across the country, with subsequent matches in Ranchi on October 9, Indore on October 11, Hyderabad on October 14, and Bengaluru on October 17. These matches will be played right after the three-match ODI series against the Caribbean side.

Shreyas Iyer was named captain of the T20I squad announced on September 16, 2026. The squad includes 15 players selected to compete across the series, with Tilak Varma named vice-captain. The selection reflects India's approach to the shortest format ahead of the upcoming international fixtures.

Top order: Sanju Samson (WK), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan

Sanju Samson is expected to open the innings and keep wickets for India in this series after making a wonderful comeback to the T20 setup during the series against Afghanistan. The wicketkeeper-batter notched up two half-centuries in three games. Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan complete the top-order combination, providing aggressive batting options at the start of the innings. This trio forms the foundation of India's batting approach in the T20I format. Abhishek deserves special mention after winning the Player of the Series award against the Afghans. Who can forget his record-breaking 30-ball century in the last T20I.