Kolkata, November 3 (IANS): All-rounder Krunal Pandya was on Saturday named in India's 12 for the first of the three T20 internationals against the West Indies here at the Eden Gardens on Sunday. Also in the fray is young left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed, if India opt to go with three quicks, one spinner and one spinning all-rounder on a pace-friendly Eden track, which is expected to be a run feast. Krunal, who is the elder brother to Hardik -- currently nursing a back injury -- was part of the squad for the three T20I series in England this summer but didn't get a game. Also part of the Australia tour, Krunal was seen spending a lot of time at the nets on Saturday, mostly batting. The 27-year old left-hander, who rode some consistent performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for Mumbai Indians, Baroda and India 'A' in the past three years, also rolled his arms for a fair bit of time under the watchful eyes of bowling coach Bharat Arun. Sans the towering presence of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Rohit Sharma will lead an Indian team brimming with confidence against the West Indies in the first of the three T20 Internationals here at the Eden Gardens on Sunday. Dhoni has been left out of India's T20 squad for the home series against West Indies and, more significantly, India's tour of Australia. Rishabh Pant is the designated wicketkeeper in Mahendra Singh Dhoni's absence, and will be a part of the middle-order that will be populated by Manish Pandey and Dinesh Karthik. Shreyas Iyer misses out from the first 12, as do Umesh Yadav, Shahbaz Nadeem and Washington Sundar. India's 12: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (Wicket-keeper), Manish Pandey, Dinesh Karthik, Krunal Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Khaleel Ahmed, Yuzvendra Chahal.
