India face West Indies in the first of five T20Is in Lucknow on Tuesday, with former all-rounder Abhishek Nayar picking an XI that backs young all-rounder Naman Dhir.

Nayar’s team: Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav and Mayank Yadav. He said the series is a chance to test all-rounders, with an eye on the 2028 T20 World Cup.

“If you can defend a score without a Bumrah, you have got a team ready,” Nayar said, referring to Jasprit Bumrah’s absence from the attack.

Aakash Chopra picked a different combination, choosing Samson over Vaibhav Suryavanshi to open with Abhishek Sharma, with Ishan Kishan at No. 3 and captain Shreyas Iyer at No. 4. He left the seam choice between Mayank and Prince Yadav open.

Dhir made his international debut in the recent ODI series against West Indies, scoring 30 runs and taking a wicket.