India vs Bangladesh 2019: India's predicted playing XI for the first T20

A Virat Kohli-less Team India will be up against Bangladesh in the 3-match T20 series beginning on 3 November. Kohli has been playing non-stop cricket for a long time now and has been rested for the T20 series to manage his workload.

Also missing from the squad are Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Navdeep Saini, who are yet to achieve full fitness. In Kohli's absence, Rohit Sharma will lead the Indian team that has an array of players who will have a chance to make an impression in the lead-up to next year's T20 World Cup.

Bangladesh have provided a strong challenge to India in the past, especially in the T20 format, and thus the new-look Indian side will have its task cut out. With so many options at their disposal, it will be interesting to see what kind of combination the Indian team management decide to field in the first T20 that will be played in Delhi.

Here is a look at India's predicted playing XI for the first T20.

Openers

Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan

Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan

With an inexperienced batting line-up to follow, Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan will have the responsibility of providing a strong start to the side.

Rohit has been in the form of his life lately and will look to extend his purple patch against Bangladesh. And his opening partner Dhawan knows that he will have to keep churning out big runs in order to keep his place in the T20 side.

It will also be crucial how Rohit marshals his troops in the field and regulates a not-so-strong bowling attack; he will not have the luxury of bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar to fall back on.

Also see – World Test Championship points table

Middle order

KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant

In Virat Kohli's absence, KL Rahul might be slotted in the playing XI at the number 3 position. Even though he has lost his place in the Test side, Rahul looked in great touch in the recently concluded Vijay Hazare Trophy.

He scored 598 runs at an average of 66.64, finishing as the third highest run-getter of the tournament. Rahul played a pivotal role in Karnataka's title victory, and would be hoping to build on that.

Shreyas Iyer, who is touted to be India's long-term number 4 in ODIs, will be eager to cement a place in the T20 side as well.

However, all eyes will be on Rishabh Pant in the T20 series. The 22-year-old has been guilty of throwing away his wicket frequently by playing loose shots, which has invited a lot of criticism.

There will be extra pressure on Pant with the presence of Sanju Samson in the squad; Samson struck a sensational double hundred in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

All-rounders

Krunal Pandya, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar

Krunal Pandya (L)

Krunal Pandya has been preferred over Ravindra Jadeja by the selection committee. According to selection committee chairman MSK Prasad, Krunal and Jadeja have similar skill sets which makes it difficult for the management to include them both in the team.

In the absence of his brother Hardik, Krunal will have the responsibility of scoring quick runs in the slog overs.

Another player who has the ability to play big shots is Shivam Dube. Dube has earned a maiden call-up to the national side following impressive performances for India A and Mumbai. The Mumbai all-rounder will provide an extra bowling option to skipper Rohit Sharma.

Washington Sundar will be keen to continue his good work for Team India. Apart from looking to strangle the batsmen with the new ball, Sundar will be hoping for an opportunity to showcase his batting abilities as well.

Bowlers

Deepak Chahar, Khaleel Ahmed, Yuzvendra Chahal

Yuzvendra Chahal

Yuzvendra Chahal, who last played a T20 for India in New Zealand in February, will lead the Indian spin bowling attack in the T20 series. Chahal was left out for the West Indies and South Africa T20 series with the selectors looking for different options, but his comeback now will bolster a depleted Indian attack.

With Bhuvneshwar Kumar still recovering from injury, Deepak Chahar will have yet another opportunity to strengthen his place as a new-ball bowler.

Khaleel Ahmed, meanwhile, will know that this is a make-or-break series for him. The left-arm seamer hasn't done anything significant in his young T20 career, and a poor performance in this series might cost him a place in the side.

India's Predicted Playing XI

Rohit Sharma (c), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (wk), Krunal Pandya, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Khaleel Ahmed, Yuzvendra Chahal