Cheteshwar Pujara has revealed his preferred India playing XI for the first T20I against the West Indies in Lucknow, and his selection has sparked debate. The veteran batter left out young sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi from his team.

Pujara backed Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma to open the innings, preferring experience and left-right balance at the top. His middle order leans on established names, with Shreyas Iyer leading the side in his first series as T20I captain.

Explaining his call, Pujara suggested that a high-pressure series opener against a strong West Indies side is not the ideal stage to blood a teenager, and that Suryavanshi's time will come. The youngster's exclusion from the XI divided fans online, with many arguing his fearless batting deserves a chance.

Team selections by former players always generate buzz, but the final call rests with the team management. India's actual XI will be revealed at the toss in Lucknow at 6:30 PM IST, half an hour before the 7 PM start.

Sources: circleofcricket.com; cricketaddictor.com.