After winning the three-match ODI series against England, all eyes are on the three-match T20I series between the two batting heavyweights. The hosts go into the series as favourites and Virat Kohli will look to finish the limited-overs leg on a high. This is also the first time Kohli will be captaining the Indian T20I side and the excitement is already high among the fans.
Rishabh Pant’s international debut and Ashish Nehra’s return are some of the things the fans will look out for in the series. The selectors have recalled Suresh Raina into the T20I side and this will add some strength to the batting, especially in the absence of Rohit Sharma. Let us take a look at how India line-up going into the series.
Team for 3 T20Is: Virat Kohli (Capt), MS Dhoni (wk), Mandeep Singh, KL Rahul, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Parvez Rasool, Amit Mishra, Yuzvendra Chahal, Manish Pandey, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ashish Nehra
Openers
India’s regular opener in the limited-over formats, Rohit Sharma is yet to recover from the thigh injury he sustained during the fifth ODI against New Zealand and is not included in the Indian squad for the T20Is. His fellow openers Shikhar Dhawan and Ajinkya Rahane were dropped from the side for this format.
In their absence, KL Rahul, who became the third Indian to score a T20I century when India faced West Indies in Florida last year, will open the innings in spite of batting at number 4 when he scored his T20I century. He looked out of his comfort zone in the first two matches. In spite of that, the team management will back him to excel in the T20Is,
The second opener spot is up for grabs as both Mandeep Singh and Rishabh Pant are in the reckoning. Mandeep represented India in the three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe last year and scored 87 runs in those three matches. On the other hand, Rishabh Pant made a case for himself with some sensational performances with the bat in the last 12 months.
In all likelihood, it will be Pant who will walk out to open the batting for India along with Rahul.
Middle-order
India will go into the series with a formidable middle-order spearheaded by the world's best batsman, Virat Kohli. The Indian skipper had a memorable 2016 in this format and will look to continue from where he left off last year. It won't be surprising if the Delhi batsman opens the batting with Pant and moves Rahul to number 4, something the duo have done with their IPL team, Royal Challengers Bangalore.
This will also allow Suresh Raina, who comes back into the T20I side after being dropped for the ODIs, to bat at No. 3, a position in which the left-hander has excelled in T20s in the past. If Rahul opens with Pant, Raina will bat at number 6 allowing Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni to `bat at number 4 and 5.
A lot of questions arose over the selection of Yuvraj in the ODIs and T20Is, but the dashing southpaw from Punjab silenced all the critics by scoring a match-winning 150 in the second ODI at Cuttack. He was well backed by former skipper MS Dhoni, who scored a solid 134. Yuvraj, Dhoni and Raina batting at 4,5 and 6 will give a stability to the Indian middle order in the shorter formats. Dhoni will don the wicketkeeper gloves ahead of Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul.
All-rounders
All-rounders are very important for any team in this format. In this aspect, Virat Kohli and co. are blessed with a good all-rounder, who ticks all the boxes that are needed.
Hardik Pandya is one of the finds of the ODI series against England as he contributed in every possible way. Pandya looked composed whenever he got a chance with the bat and with the ball, he struck whenever the team needed him. If India decides to go with a frontline pacer, which looks unlikely as it will hit the team combination, Pandya might be the one to miss out from the playing XI.
On the other hand, Ravindra Jadeja, who was initially picked in the squad, was rested for the T20Is ahead of the Test series against Australia and Bangladesh. In his absence, Parvez Rasool has been called up to the Indian team and might get a chance as India don’t have a frontline bowler who spins the ball away from the left-hander.
Spinners
After resting R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja for the T20Is, the selectors have picked Amit Mishra and Parvez Rasool as their replacements. With this, India will be having two frontline leg spinners and an offie to face the Poms in the three-match T20I series.
In all likelihood, Amit Mishra is certain to play in the XI. The second spinner’s spot is up for grabs. If India are willing to have two leg spinners, Chahal will make the cut. Else, Rasool will get into the playing XI. With England having a lot of right-handers, Kohli will be tempted to pick Chahal ahead of Rasool in the playing XI.
Chahal is someone who has done well in the IPL for a while now and he deserves to be in the team as England are scratchy against wrist spinners. It won't be a surprise if Chahal plays all the three matches with Mishra and Rasool being rotated.
Pacers
Ashish Nehra comes into the mix for the T20Is after being out of action for nearly 8 months due to a hamstring injury he sustained while playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad during the 2016 IPL. He will join Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah in the Indian squad and only two out of the three bowlers will make it to the Indian playing XI if India decides to go in with Hardik Pandya as the seaming all-rounder.
Bumrah finished 2016 as the best T20I bowler and is a certainty in the playing XI given that he is unlikely to be a part of the Test series against Bangladesh and Australia. This pits both the Sunrisers players against each other.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar is in the scheme of things in the Indian limited-overs side and is one of India’s best bowlers in the death over in the last couple of years. This might just give him the edge against a returning Ashish Nehra going into the tournament.
India’s playing XI in the T20Is against England
India go into the T20I series with a settled batting combination. If the team management wants to tinker with the combination, it should with India’s bowling. Rotations are expected to take place to keep the bowlers fresh going into a long season.
The Indian cricket fraternity will be waiting to see the arrival of Rishabh Pant on the international stage. At least for the first match, one can expect the Men in Blue to go in with Chahal and Bhuvneshwar ahead of Ashwin and Nehra.
This is how India will probably line-up going into the first game of the three-match series at Kanpur.
KL Rahul
Rishabh Pant
Virat Kohli (captain)
MS Dhoni (wk)
Suresh Raina
Hardik Pandya
Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Amit Mishra
Jasprit Bumrah
Yuzvendra Chahal
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