How India's T20 squad will look in the absence of Test players

Australia are scheduled to play a T20 in Australia against Sri Lanka a day before their first Test against India in India. The schedule seems quite bizarre given that the gap virtually rules out any common players in the two squads.

However, one wonders if this might be the way going forward as T20 leagues have been given much more importance than Tests and ODIs by several players.

Take a moment to take this in. What if T20 cricket was always meant to be a different game? For a different group of players altogether. Test cricket is, of course, the ultimate, and T20 players might take to Tests like a duck to water like David Warner and Quinton de Kock have shown.

But is the reverse feasible? Can an Alastair Cook or Azhar Ali or Dimuth Karunaratneexcel in T20s?

In this context, let us imagine that T20 is indeed a different ball game and Test players are not allowed to take part in these 20 over games. In that situation, how will an Indian T20 squad look like? Go ahead and take a glance at such a T20 XI.

Let us take the current Indian Test squad chosen for the Bangladesh Tests:

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#1 Shikhar Dhawan/Mandeep Singh

Left-handed opener, Shikhar Dhawan, was omitted from the Test squad for the Bangladesh series and this makes him the favourite to open for India in this T20 XI. However, given his recent form with the willow, it will be no surprise if Punjab batsman, Mandeep Singh, replaces him.

Dhawan has played 22 T20s for India, the last of them coming against Australia in the World T20. Mandeep, meanwhile, is yet to play T20s for India but is a prominent member in the RCB setup.

#2 Rishabh Pant

The dynamic Delhi opener and wicket-keeper is sure to claim one of the opening slots, although his longevity in this side depends on how long he stays away from that Test squad. Pant is more than capable of shot-making as he proved in the under-19 World Cup and in the Ranji Trophy recently.

Pant made his T20 debut in the final match of the series against England but did not get much of a chance coming in down the order. His terrific hitting ability assures that he is a viable option at the top of the order.

#3 Suresh Raina (Vice-Captain)

Raina is still a very useful player in T20s

His inability to break into the Test squad means Raina will replace the Test skipper, Virat Kohli, at no. 3 in this T20 squad. Raina is a proven performer in the shortest format of the game and has a century in T20Is.

He has excelled at no. 3 for the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL and is also the vice-captain for this side. Raina has a pretty good average of 29.90 in T20s and was in fine nick in the final match of the T20 series against England, where he made a half-century.

#4 Yuvraj Singh

The Punjab all-rounder is a T20 specialist and can easily walk into any T20 squad in the world. It is no surprise that Yuvraj is the no. 4 in this squad. He was in prolific form with the bat in the ODIs against England and is already creating a huge buzz in yet another comeback to national colours.

Yuvraj can also contribute with the ball as the sixth bowler and will pitch in as a senior member of the squad. Yuvraj has played 58 T20s for India, scoring eight half-centuries and taking 28 wickets.

#5 MS Dhoni (Captain)

Another stint as skipper for MS Dhoni given that Kohli is ineligible to play in this T20 XI. Dhoni needs no introduction. The skipper of India's only T20 World Cup victory in 2007, Dhoni is also the best finisher in World Cricket. He could play a crucial role at no.5 in this T20 line-up.

It is always better to have your best batsmen in the top 5 in T20s and Dhoni deserves the promotion from no.6. Dhoni has figured in a whopping 76 matches for India in T20s and got his first half-century in the format in the final match of the series against England.

#6 Manish Pandey/Kedhar Jadhav

Manish Pandey was the first Indian to score a century in the IPL

The no. 6 spot will be a tight competition between Kedhar Jadhav, who was phenomenal in the ODIs against England, and Manish Pandey, who is a pretty good finisher himself. Pandey is a talented batsman and was the first ever Indian to score a century in the IPL.

Jadhav has been instrumental for India in ODIs in recent times and should provide stiff competition to Pandey in a format he is yet to represent India in. Jadhav has played for India 5 times in T20s, with the last of his appearance in the format coming against Zimbabwe in June, 2016.

#7 Parvez Rasool

Rasool is a useful batsman and bowler

The Kashmir all-rounder is a good T20 player, and in the absence of Ashwin, Jadeja, and Mishra, should shoulder a large chunk of bowling responsibilities in the mid overs. Rasool has good flight and has a bag of tricks with his off-spinners that can make him a difficult proposition to deal with in T20s.

He is also handy with the bat and can play the spinning all-rounder's role to perfection. Rasool has played just one T20 for India, against England in the first T20 of the recent series. He has 28 wickets from 38 domestic T20s with a best of 3/17.

#8 Yuzvendra Chahal

The RCB leggie was spectacular in the last IPL and rightly earned a place in the T20 squad for the England series. He opened the bowling in the second T20 against England, although he might be more successful as a wicket-taking option in the middle overs.

Wrist spinners are becoming more and more important in limited overs cricket and Chahal could be a valuable addition to this imaginary T20 XI. Chahal produced a spectacular display of leg-spin bowling in the series decider against England, taking 6/25, the third best figures in T20 cricket.

#9 Dhawal Kulkarni

Nehra is still going strong at the 37 years of age

The Gujarat Lions seamer can swing the ball away from the right-handers and is a quality fast bowler to have in any side. Kulkarni was the fourth highest wicket-taker in IPL 2016 and proved to be sensational with the new ball in hand. He has a wide variety of deliveries, including the slow ball, off cutter and slow bouncer.

Kulkarni has played just 2 T20s for India, the last of them against Zimbabwe last year, but in the absence of Bhuvaneshwar Kumar and Umesh Yadav should make it to the T20 XI.

#10 Ashish Nehra

The veteran left-arm seamer was prolific in the second T20 against England. He was brilliant with the new ball and returned later in the innings to dismiss the dangerous Ben Stokes with a well disguised slow ball.

Nehra may not have age on his side, but he has shown that age is just a number in this comeback stint of his. He will be a valuable asset for India in this imaginary T20 XI. Nehra’s T20 record is pretty good with 34 wickets in 26 games at an average of 21.44.

#11 Jasprit Bumrah

Bumrah is India's latest sensation in limited overs cricket with his pinpoint yorkers and slower balls. He has revelled after learning from Lasith Malinga in the Mumbai Indians dugout and is quickly making the yorker his primary weapon.

He was the architect of India's win in the second T20 against England and should be the strike bowler for India in T20s going forward. As long as he isn't picked in the Test team, Bumrah should be the favourite to lead the attack in this T20 XI. Bumrah picked up 28 wickets in the format in 2016, the most by any bowler.