India's predicted XI for World Cup 2019

The World Cup 2019 will take place in England in 2019 from May 30 to July 15.

The Indian cricket team have begun their preparation for the tournament. Taking on England in the ODI series in England, they will get used to the conditions there and look for an ideal playing XI for the tournament next year.

A lot of players have come to the fore over the past few years and picking just eleven would be a hard task for the team management.

However, there are a few standout players who should make it into the team given their performances over the years.

Let’s take a look at the probable playing XI for India at the World Cup

Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan

The pair of Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan are perfect right at the top of the innings for India. They have played together for years now and have formed a great partnership.

They have given India the perfect start to the innings on a number of occasions and have taken the game away from the opposition with their batting.

On their day, both of them can take on any bowler in the world and rip them apart by smashing them all around the park.

Unless either of them suffer from an injury, it is highly unlikely that India would change this top order combination. They have played together at the top in previous ICC tournaments as well and have proven their mettle.

While Rohit has played 182 ODIs for India so far, Dhawan has played 105. Both of them have an average of slightly above 45 and have scored numerous centuries and half-centuries.

There might be an argument to allow KL Rahul at the top of the order and drop Rohit Sharma to no. 4, however, the Sharma-Dhawan duo has been tried and tested for a long time and India shouldn’t take any risks regarding this.

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Virat Kohli

The captain of the side would take his place at his usual spot at no. 3. He has faced immense success batting at this position, especially while chasing.

There were rumours that KL Rahul might be jumped up to this spot and Kohli might drop himself to no. 4, however, India decided against doing that in the ODIs against England.

Kohli did not have a big part to play in the 2011 World Cup and did not make too much of an impact in the 2015 edition. Hence, he will hope to turn things around this time and lead India to victory.

KL Rahul

The no. 4 position in the Indian side is the most debated one. They have tried a lot of players at this position since the 2015 World Cup and have not found the best fit yet.

But, Rahul has been in sensational form over the past few months since the IPL and we could expect him to bat at this position till the World Cup.

However, he will have to prove himself and ensure that he gets a few big knocks under his belt to cement his place in the side.

MS Dhoni

It might come as a surprise to see MS Dhoni bat at number 5, however, this might be the best position for him.

He takes some time to get going and coming in at no. 5, he might get sufficient deliveries to get into his groove before he fires. This could be a flexible position with either Raina or Dhoni coming in, depending on the situation of the game.

He was at his vintage best in the IPL but he has not looked great in the ODI series against England so far. The 2019 World Cup could be MS Dhoni’s last tournament.

Suresh Raina

The aggressive left-handed batsman made a comeback to the Indian side after a good show in the domestic circuit and the IPL.

His usual position is at no. 5 in the batting line-up but we might see him drop down to no. 6 to accommodate Dhoni at 5.

However, as mentioned above, he could switch his position with Dhoni given the situation of the game. He is someone who can come in and start attacking the bowlers right from the beginning of the innings.

Hardik Pandya

The hard-hitting, fast bowling all-rounder could be the x-factor in India’s side at the World Cup. He can take the game away from the opposition with his finishing ability with the bat and can contribute equally well with the ball.

He has been one of India’s best players over the past few years and will hope to be a mainstay in the side for a long time.

He would be ideal at no. 7

Kuldeep Yadav

The left-arm Chinaman bowler has been one of the best bowlers for the Men in Blue over the past year or so. He has been quite lethal against England, who have failed to read his googlies.

He picked up his best ever match figures in the first ODI against England as he picked up six wickets to lead India to victory.

He will be vital to India’s success at the World Cup.

Umesh Yadav/Jasprit Bumrah

Over the past few months or so, Umesh Yadav has turned over a new leaf. He has been deadly with the new ball and has taken over from Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who hasn’t been at his best.

The pace and swing he generates in the Powerplay overs make it extremely difficult for the opposition to read him. He has given India the perfect start with the ball on a number of occasions and he will hope to use the swing-friendly pitches in England to his advantage.

Jasprit Bumrah has been out of action for a while now but he will soon make a return in the Test series against England. He has been one of India’s best bowlers in the limited-overs format and it will hard to drop him.

Hence, we could see either one of Bumrah or Umesh feature in the playing XI

Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Bhuvneshwar Kumar has led the Indian bowling attack for the past few years and has been extremely successful. He outfoxes the opposition batsmen with his swing in the first few overs and can restrict the flow of runs at the death.

He has not been at his best off-late due to a nagging back injury. He will hope to get back to his best soon and lead the Indian pace attack at the World Cup.

Yuzvendra Chahal

Along with Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal has been a revelation for India in the limited-overs format. He started off as a T20 specialist but has now evolved into an ODI specialist as well.

He can bamboozle the batsmen with his googlies and his variations in flight and pace.

He has formed a formidable partnership with Kuldeep and could take the game away from the opposition with his bowling.