Deep Dasgupta picks his India playing XI for T20 World Cup match against Pakistan

Deep Dasgupta has picked his preferred Indian playing XI for the much-anticipated clash against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup, which will be played on October 24 in Dubai.

The former Indian wicketkeeper-batsman chose Rohit Sharma alongside one of KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan as the openers. Captain Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, and wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant made the middle order in Deep Dasgupta's XI. All-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya (subject to bowling fitness) capped the team's batting depth.

In a video on his YouTube channel, Deep Dasgupta said:

"I wouldn't mind KL/Ishan to open with Rohit. Virat at three. Four, Surya. Five, Rishabh. Six, Jadeja. Seven, Hardik but he needs to bowl. That's my biggest question: 'Is Hardik bowling or not?' But anyways hopefully, he'll bowl."

Rahul is likely to remain the first choice, given how he has donned the Orange Cap for most of IPL 2021. Kishan, on the other hand, was picked in the team as a backup opener. The southpaw looked on the brink of losing his place after a slow start for Mumbai Indians (MI) in the UAE, but he has arguably secured it with his last two innings in the tournament.

For the bowling attack, Deep Dasgupta went with the expected names of Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakrvarthy. He picked an in-form Mohammed Shami over the more experienced Bhuvneshwar Kumar as the second pacer. The former player then left the final spot to be flexible and dependent on the pitch conditions.

Deep Dasgupta added:

"Eight and nine would obviously be Bumrah and Shami as of now? Bhuvi has not looked that great. So eight and nine [those two guys]. Varun Chakrvarthy at ten. And eleven... seamer batter or spinner depending on the pitch. Already we have Varun Chakrvarthy and Jadeja. If the pitch remains similalry slow and turn-favoring then they might play a leggie or another seamer."

Kumar is the only seam option available in the team apart from Bumrah and Shami, with Shardul Thakur and Deepak Chahar in reserves. Meanwhile, Rahul Chahar was the only leg-spinner to make it into the 15-man preliminary squad. His position is currently in doubt owing to a dip in returns during the IPL.

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Deep Dasgupta's India playing XI against Pakistan

Complete XI: KL Rahul/Ishan Kishan, Rohit Sharma (vc), Virat Kohli (c), Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Varun Chakravarthy, (No. 11 according to pitch conditions).