Unsettled India start rebuilding in Florida

India head into their all-format tour of the West Indies this weekend with more on their mind than simply winning a couple of T20s.

For Virat Kohli’s side -- and indeed for the West Indies -- it is a chance to pick up the pieces after a disappointing one-day international (ODI) World Cup in England and put behind them the recent talk of splits in the camp.

Kohli’s confidant Ravi Shastri is on borrowed time before the appointment of a new coach, former captain MS Dhoni has skipped the tour to do military service while Kohli this week has had to dismiss talk of a rift with prolific opening batsman Rohit Sharma.

“It baffles you as a leader, as a coach, and as a team when lies are being floated around,” Kohli told reporters this week.

“And they are made to look believable. We have had no issues.”

India, unexpectedly beaten by New Zealand in the World Cup semifinal last month, are likely to find plenty of support during the first two T20s on Saturday and Sunday with expatriate Indians expected to outnumber West Indian fans at the delightful Central Broward Stadium in Lauderhill, Florida.

The stadium hosted its first internationals back in 2010 when New Zealand played Sri Lanka in two T20s.

West Indies and India played a T20 there three years ago and produced real fireworks, with KL Rahul smashing a century off 46 balls and Evin Lewis responding for the West Indies with a ton off 49 balls. The Indians won by just one run.

Rahul will be hoping to replicate that form in Lauderhill and in the third T20 and ODI series in Guyana and Trinidad but the Indians will miss the experience of Dhoni as well as all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who has been rested, and fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who will join the squad for the tour-ending Test matches.

The Tests in Antigua and Jamaica will have a special significance as they will mark the first round of matches for each side in the new World Test Championship.