Drop Gill or Kishan, change SKY's position: Things Hardik's India should do to come back and win series vs West Indies

India are caught in two minds. With Hardik Pandya at the helm in T20Is, they want to try out as many fresh faces as possible before the pace picks up for next year's T20 World Cup. But in doing so, they haven't quite been able to find the right combination yet and that is showing in their ongoing T20I series against the West Indies. Another thing hurting India is their template. Hardik and head coach Rahul Dravid have time and again talked about an attacking template in T20Is without worrying too much about the results. But this hasn't always translated on the cricket field, especially when India lose a game or two. When they are under pressure, they seem to fall back to their traditional approach rather than following a radical, no-holds-barred template like England.

The pitches on offer in the Caribbean islands have not been ideal for free-flowing strokemakers but Nicholas Pooran and Tilak Varman have shown that big hits are possible if you go in with an uncluttered mind. After having lost the first two matches, India need to win all three remaining games to win the series. There is no second chance. Will they again go back to their defensive approach or keep trying new things without caring about a series loss? They can do the latter, play an attacking brand of cricket and still make a comeback in the series.

Drop either Ishan Kishan or Shubman Gill and play Yashasvi Jaiswal

Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill are the only Indian players who have played every match - two Tests, all three ODIs and two T20Is - in this West Indies tour so far. Kishan has been brilliant till the ODIs but he has struggled to get going in the T20Is. In fact, his T20I strike rate of 121 after 29 matches (most of them as an opener) is definitely a worry. On the other hand, Gill will be the first to admit that he has had a disappointing tour so far with only one half-century to show for. Dropping one of them for the third T20I in Guyana to accommodate Yashasvi Jaiswal, therefore, seems a logical solution in more ways than one. Jaiswal is in superb form and his attacking nature at the top of the order might just be the thing India need to push West Indies on the backfoot from the word go. If Kishan makes way, it will also give the Indian team management an opportunity to look at Sanju Samson, the keeper.

Either Samson or Tilak Varma at No.3, not SKY

11 of Suryakumar Yadav's 16 50-plus scores in T20Is have come while batting at No.4. In this series, he has batted at No.3 with scores of 21 (off 21) and 1 (off 3). With Virat Kohli not in contention for T20Is as of now, India seemed to have decided to give SKY that role. However, there are early signs that he may not be the best suited at that spot, especially when an early wicket falls. He tends to curb his natural instincts and go into an anchor mode which is the last thing India would want with their biggest match-winner in T20Is. Then what's the solution? It's not that hard, to be honest. If the left-hander (either Kishan or Jaiswal, depending on who is playing) is dismissed then Tilak Varma can be promoted to No.3 and if Gill is the first to fall then Samson can be given that spot. It will not only allow Surya to slide back to his original position but will also provide Samson with an opportunity to bat at his preferred slot instead of No.6.

Drop a specialist bowler to strengthen lower-order

It is never an ideal thing to drop a bowler for his inability to score runs but such is the case with the current Indian T20I side in West Indies that it is perhaps the only option to provide balance to their side. India went in with four specialist bowlers and two all-rounders in Hardik and Axar Patel in the first two matches, which meant their tail effectively began from No.8. They paid a heavy price for that in the first T20I when lack of batting ability in the lower-order cost them the match. With Hardik set to bowl four overs more often than not, India can look to play only one wrist spinner so that Axar can bat at No.8. If they need a couple of overs from their top order to make up for an off day of any of the five bowling options then Jaiswal is more than capable with his handy leg-spin.