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Team India, who had a forgettable campaign at the 2022 Asia Cup, are nowhere near certain regarding their squad for this year's T20 World Cup. Having experimented extensively over the last year or so, the Men in Blue find themselves scrambling to identify the right personnel and roles for the marquee ICC event.
In a welcome bit of news for India, Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel, who were ruled out of the Asia Cup with injuries, will reportedly recover in time for the T20 World Cup. Unfortunately, though, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is unlikely to make the grade for the competition, which will commence in Australia next month.
September 15 is the squad submission deadline for the T20 World Cup, and India don't have much time to make some key decisions. What will their 15-man squad for the tournament look like?
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The certainties
Captain Rohit Sharma and vice-captain KL Rahul are certainties, of course, as is former skipper Virat Kohli. Accompanying them in the batting department will be Suryakumar Yadav, who has fast become one of India's most important batters in the format.
Lower down the order, all-rounder Hardik Pandya is worth his weight in gold. Jasprit Bumrah, assuming the reports are true and he will be fit for the T20 World Cup, will be India's premier bowler. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Yuzvendra Chahal might not be as crucial as the other names in this section, but they should be on the plane to Australia too.
The almost-certainties
Rishabh Pant hasn't set the T20I world on fire, but India are bound to need two wicket-keepers in their 15-man squad. With names like Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan not really in the picture right now, both Pant and Dinesh Karthik should get the nod for the T20 World Cup.
Harshal Patel hasn't been seen in action since July, but should also be penciled in for the tournament if he does decently in the upcoming T20I series against Australia and South Africa. The pacer offers a lot of variety at the death, and his skills will be useful on the big grounds Down Under. He is also one of the only fast bowlers in the country who offers something with the bat.
In Jadeja's absence, Axar Patel is bound to be in the mix. The all-rounder perhaps doesn't instill as much confidence as Jadeja with the bat, but his economical overs should hold India in good stead. Axar will need to adapt immediately to Australian conditions, where he might not be as effective as required.
The fringe selections
India will need one fast bowler, one batter and one spinner on the bench.
In the pace department, young Arshdeep Singh could be the man for the job. Arshdeep will offer left-arm variety in addition to unmatched prowess at the death. The Men in Blue might want a hit-the-deck bowler on the bench to make the most of the Australian conditions, but they don't have any real options. Avesh Khan is in a miserable run of form, while Mohammed Shami hasn't played a T20I since last year's T20 World Cup.
The batter is likely to be Deepak Hooda, who has taken to international cricket like a duck to water. The 27-year-old can chip in with a few overs of off-spin, something that will give him an edge over names like Samson and Kishan.
The second spinner's spot could come down to a battle between Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravi Bishnoi. If the recently concluded Asia Cup is any indication, India seem to prefer the experience and batting ability of the former over Bishnoi, who despite being a unique bowler is inexperienced in international cricket.
This one could go either way, but the scales are tilted slightly towards Ashwin since India probably can't afford to play both Chahal and Bishnoi in the playing XI. It wouldn't be a surprise if Bishnoi is named in the reserves. Speaking of the reserves...
So who could be India's reserves at the T20 World Cup?
Deepak Chahar is a capable lower-order batter and has performed well for India in white-ball cricket. His style is a touch too similar to Bhuvneshwar's, though, so the reserves might be the ideal place for him.
Shreyas Iyer's short-ball woes have relegated him down the T20I pecking order, and Australia is the last place for him to make a comeback to the side. Even if he sorts out those issues, India don't need a run-accumulator who likes to play in the top order. So Sanju Samson, whose abilities have been talked up by Rohit, could steal a march over his fellow batters.
The final spot in the reserves should go to Bishnoi. The young leg-spinner has a stellar T20I record so far and has shown that he can hold his nerve under pressure.
Fringe names who aren't really in the mix
Washington Sundar is one of India's key T20I players when fit, but the young all-rounder hasn't had much match practice of late. He, along with names like Krunal Pandya, are unlikely to be considered by the selectors. Venkatesh Iyer has fallen out of favor since a disappointing Indian Premier League (IPL) season and Hardik's return.
Ruturaj Gaikwad hasn't made the most of the opportunities he has got on the international stage, and the last thing India need is another right-handed opener who takes his time in the powerplay.
Rahul Tripathi is a highly exciting player, but he hasn't even made his debut yet. Unfortunately, the talented Prithvi Shaw isn't in the selectors' scheme of things either. Shikhar Dhawan only plays ODIs at the moment and isn't dynamic enough for India's T20I side.
Mohsin Khan, Khaleel Ahmed and T Natarajan did well in IPL 2022, but it could be some time before they're considered for international selection. Prasidh Krishna is injured right now, and even when he's fit, he isn't a T20I regular by any stretch of the imagination.
Umran Malik appears too raw for international cricket, and Shardul Thakur's bowling isn't reliable enough. Mohammed Siraj had a woeful IPL season and isn't an all-phase bowler. Neither is Umesh Yadav.
A couple of surprise picks for the 2021 T20 World Cup, Rahul Chahar and Varun Chakravarthy, have fallen off the radar completely. Kuldeep Yadav, meanwhile, is probably the third-choice wrist-spinner behind Chahal and Bishnoi but shouldn't be in the conversation for the T20 World Cup.
Predicted Indian Squad for the T20 World Cup 2022
India's predicted 15-man squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Deepak Hooda, Ravichandran Ashwin.
India's predicted reserves: Deepak Chahar, Sanju Samson, Ravi Bishnoi.
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