Former Indian international cricketer and former Assistant Coach Abhishek Nayar has suggested changes to India’s playing XI for the final match. Nayar believes the hosts are facing a difficult selection puzzle and has proposed specific changes to both the bowling and batting teams.
The India-West Indies T20I series is tied at 2-2 with the decider slated for Saturday, October 17 in Bengaluru. With the series tied, the hosts’ selection options will be critical in their effort to win the battle.
Kuldeep, 31, last played a T20I in February at the T20 World Cup against Pakistan. The spinner appeared in the first two matches of the current series but was absent in the following two. Naman Dhir, 26, made his ODI debut against the West Indies on September 27, 2026.
Nayar’s key idea is to replace Naman Dhir with Kuldeep Yadav, a left-arm wristspinner.
Kuldeep, 31, last played a T20I in February at the T20 World Cup against Pakistan. The spinner appeared in the first two matches of the current series but was absent in the following two. Naman Dhir, 26, made his ODI debut against the West Indies on September 27, 2026.
The former assistant coach also suggested shifting Nitish Kumar Reddy and Axar Patel up the order if Kuldeep is selected. According to Nayar, Axar Patel has proven proficiency in the floater role when deployed for India. These batting changes would accompany Nayar’s preferred bowling alterations for the decider.
Regarding the prospect of including Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Nayar expressed concern over jeopardizing the batter’s natural positioning. Nayar added that if Sooryavanshi plays, he should bat at his strongest position, opening. The previous assistant coach reasoned that if Sooryavanshi starts, the number three batter should play in his best position. Despite the temptation to select Sooryavanshi amid Bengaluru’s ideal batting circumstances, Nayar finally decided to prioritize positional integrity in the batting order.
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Nayar’s preference continues to change the bowling attack rather than the batting lineup in the decider. He advised that India deploy four aggressive bowlers, subject to the availability of Arshdeep Singh. This strategy would allow the hosts to keep their batting structure while improving their bowling options for the final match of the series.
