India Predicted Playing 11 vs Ireland for Match 8 of 2024 T20 World Cup

Team India will commence their 2024 T20 World Cup campaign at the Nassau County International Stadium on Wednesday, June 5, when they take on Ireland. The Men in Blue will want to get their group stage off to a good start, having endured disappointing results in the last two editions of the marquee ICC event.

Head coach Rahul Dravid addressed the media ahead of the encounter and decided to keep his cards close to his chest. India have a few options open to them in all departments and could take a call depending on the conditions, which have been bowling-friendly so far in New York.

India's squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup: Rohit Sharma (captain), Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.

Reserves: Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, Avesh Khan.

On that note, here is India's predicted playing XI for Match 8 of the 2024 T20 World Cup against Ireland.

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Openers: Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli

Yashasvi Jaiswal is an option, but India didn't seem too keen on assessing his form during the warm-up game. With Virat Kohli excelling as an opener in the Indian Premier League, the former skipper is likely to partner his successor at the top of the order.

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Middle Order: Rishabh Pant (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel

Sanju Samson doesn't seem to have the faith of the team management. And while he might be a better option than Rishabh Pant, Dravid and Co. could decide to go with the left-hander.

There's the option of playing both and excluding Shivam Dube, but he would give India a fourth seam option if they play Axar Patel ahead of a specialist fast bowler. Having bowled three overs in the warm-up game, Dube could pip Samson to a spot in the middle order.

Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav will be two of the side's most important players at the 2024 T20 World Cup, while Ravindra Jadeja will be ahead of Axar in the pecking order of spin-bowling all-rounders. Axar could still play, though, with Ireland having no left-handers in their side.

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Lower Order: Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh

Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah will be India's leaders of the spin and pace attacks respectively. Yuzvendra Chahal should be consigned to the bench, and rightfully so.

Arshdeep Singh could narrowly edge out Mohammed Siraj to be the team's supporting pacer as having a left-armer who can bowl in the powerplay and at the death is always an asset. There is the option of fielding both and dropping Axar, but that would leave the batting looking thin.