As the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) crystallises its fifteen-member pool for the coming five-match T20I series against the West Indies, starting October 6 in Lucknow and shifting to Ranchi, Indore, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru, the winds of change blow across the country.

Under new captain Shreyas Iyer, the 2026 squad features a mix of new and experienced talents, including the exciting Kuldeep Yadav, as well as the rising stars Mayank and Prince. However, comparing this squad to the one that faced the West Indies at home in 2019 provides an interesting insight into the evolution of Indian T20I cricket.

Five prominent names that starred in that memorable encounter have since disappeared from the T20I scene

1. KL Rahul

Right-handed opener KL Rahul was the most consistent batter across three innings in the 2019 series, smashing 164 runs at a strike rate of 153.27. He even recorded two fifties (and a brilliant 91 off 56 balls in Mumbai) and was being touted as a mainstay of India's white-ball future.

Rahul is a T20I veteran, amassing 2,265 runs in 72 games at 37.75. But the last time he pulled on the T20I shirt was in the defeat by England in Adelaide on November 10, 2022, after the 2022 T20 World Cup.

2. Rishabh Pant

Wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant also played his part in the 2019 series, contributing 51 runs (two innings) at a strike rate of 154.55, with an unbeaten 33 in Thiruvananthapuram.

While remaining an important player in the limited-overs formats, Rishabh has so far failed to make an impression on the shortest format. The southpaw has mustered 1,209 runs in 76 T20Is, but his last appearance came in a tour match in Pallekele on July 28, 2024, against Sri Lanka.

3. Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Experienced Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the bowler entrusted with the new ball in the 2019 series. He took two wickets in three games, but his economy rate was a disappointing 9.41, especially considering it was a home series.

However, Kumar is a legendary figure among India's white-ball fans, having reaped 90 wickets in 87 T20Is at 6.96. Bhuvneshwar, who has two five-wicket hauls to his name (including a career-best 5/4), bowled his last T20I game against New Zealand in Napier on November 22, 2022.

4. Deepak Chahar

Seamer Deepak Chahar had a good series in 2019, ending up with three wickets in three games (2/20 being his best effort). He is known for his ability to swing the ball at the start of an innings and has bags of power in his lower order. Deepak has 31 wickets in 25 T20Is (including a career-best 6/7) and has been a reliable bowler who has had to bide his time in the team due to injury and competition. Chahar's last T20I appearance also came in November 2022, against New Zealand.

5. Yuzvendra Chahal

Wrist-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal took two wickets in two of his three 2019 games. He has been one of India's best spinners in limited-overs cricket, with 96 wickets in 80 T20Is at 8.19 (with a career-best 6/25). Despite his tremendous domestic and IPL records (he has been a first-choice spinner for Rajasthan Royals for several years), Chahal has struggled to secure a place in the T20I team due to his limitations to the 2026 series, where the team management wants to utilize the utility of multi-dimensional spinners.

As Iyer's young guns prepare to take on West Indies this October, these five stalwarts serve as a sombre reminder of the game's ephemerality.