West Indies captain Shai Hope won the toss and elected to field against India in the second T20I in Ranchi on Friday, October 9. India, leading the five-match series 1-0, will bat first as the visitors look to level the contest.
The main talking point ahead of the match is the absence of young batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi from India’s playing XI, with captain Shreyas Iyer retaining the side that won the opening encounter.
West Indies made one change to their lineup, bringing left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie into the playing XI. The decision to bowl first gives the visitors an opportunity to assess the conditions before setting a target. Hope will lead a side seeking a stronger performance to prevent India from extending their advantage in the series. The visitors have retained the core of their lineup while making the single adjustment for the Ranchi encounter.
India have named Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Naman Dhir, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav and Mayank Yadav in their playing XI. Samson will take on wicketkeeping duties, while Iyer will lead the side. The lineup combines batting options with spin and pace resources as India prepare to post a competitive total after being asked to bat first.
Sooryavanshi’s omission means the young batter will not feature in the second T20I, with the Indian team management choosing to stick with its winning combination. Iyer’s decision to make no changes reflects confidence in the players who delivered the result in the series opener. The selection also leaves India with the same set of batting and bowling options for the second match.
West Indies will field a lineup featuring Hope, Kamil Pooran, Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Roston Chase, Romario Shepherd, Motie, Shamar Springer, Akeal Hosein and Shamar Joseph. The combination includes several batting options alongside spin and pace bowlers. Motie’s inclusion adds another specialist spin option to the visitors’ attack as they prepare to restrict India’s scoring during the first innings.
With India holding a 1-0 lead, the second T20I is an important opportunity for West Indies to draw level and keep the series evenly poised. India, meanwhile, will aim to use their batting opportunity to establish a challenging target before defending it. The outcome will depend on how effectively the hosts build their innings and how the West Indies bowlers exploit the conditions in Ranchi.