India's predicted playing XI for the 3rd T20I vs West Indies

The series will be on the line for Team India when they face off against West Indies in the third T20I of the five-match series at the Providence Stadium in Guyana on Tuesday, August 8.

The Men in Blue fielded largely similar combinations in the first two headers of the series, with their only change so far being a forced one due to injury. The results haven't justified their team selection, though, so a couple of changes could be in order.

India’s T20I squad for the West Indies series: Ishan Kishan (wk), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (vc), Sanju Samson (wk), Hardik Pandya (c), Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Umran Malik, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar.

Here's India's predicted playing XI for the third T20I against West Indies.

Openers: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill

India's opening combination has been under fire lately

Ishan Kishan struck a couple of big blows in the previous game, but he hasn't done enough to justify his place in India's T20I side. Moreover, he has played every game on the tour thus far. With an eye on the Asia Cup and the World Cup, the southpaw could be given a breather.

Yashasvi Jaiswal, who is yet to make his debut for the national side in the shortest format, is the obvious contender to replace Kishan at the top of the order. A supremely talented player who is in great form right now, the left-hander could turn India's fortunes around.

Shubman Gill hasn't been in great form, though, with only 10 runs to his name across the first two matches. The opener will want to return to the nick he displayed in the final T20I against New Zealand earlier this year.

Middle Order: Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (wk)

Suryakumar Yadav [left] hasn't been at his best in the series so far

India's middle order could wear a similar look to the previous game.

Tilak Varma has been the Men in Blue's standout batter so far, with 90 runs at an excellent strike rate in the series. The 20-year-old has defied his age and will want to continue his excellent start to his international career.

Suryakumar Yadav, meanwhile, was run out cheaply in the second T20I. A batter who generally comes into his own in difficult conditions, he will be of great importance to Team India in Guyana.

Sanju Samson, whose T20I career has been far from impressive on the whole, is on the chopping block. He played a terrible shot to be stumped in the previous game, and it would be tough to argue with the decision should India drop him for the third encounter.

However, Samson could be given a slightly longer rope under the current management, especially with Kishan's workload being higher in the series so far.

All-rounders: Hardik Pandya (c), Axar Patel

Hardik Pandya [right] will be raring to turn the series around

Captain Hardik Pandya has rediscovered his bowling mojo, but he has been far from impressive with the bat. The Indian skipper will want to clearly identify his role in the middle order and come up with more meaningful contributions towards the end of the innings.

Axar Patel has bowled only two overs in the series and hasn't faced enough deliveries to make an impact. The all-rounder should be given an increased role in the remaining games.

Bowlers: Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar

Mukesh Kumar was off-color in the second T20I

Kuldeep Yadav missed the second T20I with a blow to the hand while batting in the nets, but Hardik stated that the injury wasn't serious. The left-arm wrist-spinner should return to the playing XI at Ravi Bishnoi's expense, assuming he is fit enough to play.

Yuzvendra Chahal has scalped four wickets in the series so far, perhaps ensuring that he won't be on the chopping block when Kuldeep returns to the fold. However, the experienced leg-spinner hasn't been entirely convincing and will want to put in a performance that dispels all concerns.

It would be understandable if India decided to rest Mukesh Kumar and bring in either Avesh Khan or Umran Malik, especially after the Bengal seamer's indifferent showing in the last game. They've stuck with Mukesh throughout the tour, though, so they might give him another T20I cap before ringing in any changes.

Arshdeep Singh, meanwhile, will lead the pace attack once again in Guyana.