India vs Windies 2018, Match Prediction
India and Windies will take on each other in the first T20I. (Photo credit should read RANDY BROOKS/AFP/Getty Images)

India and the Windies will lock horns in the first T20I at Eden Garden in Kolkata. After sealing the Test and ODI series, India will aim to kickstart the T20I series on a high. The hosts will aim to continue their domination over the visitors. On the other hand, the Windies will be happy to come into their favorite form of the game.

India is all set to have two debutants in their team. The hosts will either have Khaleel Ahmed or Krunal Pandya in their playing XI or can have both of them. Meanwhile, Krunal Pandya looks a more formidable candidate to make his Indian debut.

Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma

The exciting contest will be on cards.

On the other hand, the Windies have already suffered a big blow even before the series has begun. Andre Russell is ruled out of the whole series due to an injury. The tourists are already without the services of their big players like Chris Gayle, Evin Lewis, Sunil Narine, and Samuel Badree. Thus, the onus is going to be on the likes of Kieron Pollard and skipper Carlos Brathwaite.

Meanwhile, India will be led by Rohit Sharma in the absence of their full-time skipper Virat Kohli. Furthermore, MS Dhoni is going to sit out after a long time in a white ball game. Therefore, Rishabh Pant is going to hold the wicketkeeping duties.

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India's Predicted Playing XI, India vs Windies 2018, T20I
Jasprit Bumrah. (Photo credit should read RANDY BROOKS/AFP/Getty Images)

In fact, in the absence of these big players, it would be a perfect opportunity for other players to grab their chances. The core of the team is going to remain the same for the Australia T20Is and it would be a perfect chance for these young players to make the most of it.

India’s 12-man squad: Rohit Sharma (C), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (wk), Manish Pandey, Dinesh Karthik, Krunal Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Khaleel Ahmed, Yuzvendra Chahal.

Windies squad: Rovman Powell, Nicholas Pooran, Darren Bravo, Shimron Hetmyer, Denesh Ramdin(w), Sherfane Rutherford, Kieron Pollard, Carlos Brathwaite(c), Fabian Allen, Keemo Paul, Oshane Thomas, Khary Pierre, Obed McCoy.

Match Prediction: India will go as favorites given the experience in their team and they will be playing in their home conditions. However, there is no denying the fact that the Windies are always a powerhouse in the shortest format of the game. Thus, an exciting contest is going to be on the cards.

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