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India’s predicted playing XI for ICC T20 World Cup 2021
The Indian cricket team has placed itself as a power to reckon with it in the Twenty20 International in the world of cricket. The men in blue have established their authority in the shortest format of the game over the other teams either at home or even in the series being played abroad. Considering India's recent performance, the Virat Kohli-led Indian team has clinched three titles in the T20 International series, one at home and two on overseas pitches.
Indian T20 team started this year in style, earning a whipping 2-0 series victory against Sri Lanka. Then they went to New Zealand and whitewashed the Kiwis 5-0 in a historic T20 International series triumph. Kohli's boys finished the year with a 2-1 triumph in the T20I series over Australia.
The ICC T20 World Cup is scheduled to be staged in India from 18th October 2021 to 15th November. Following India's bright show in the T20Is, this year expectation is gradually mounting that India will maintain the current form and once again clinch the title as they did under the captaincy of MS Dhoni in 2007 and also level the feat of West Indies, the only team to have won T20 World Cup twice.
Looking towards India’s predicted playing XI for ICC T20 World Cup 2021 we have tried to find out the names who, are expected to guide India towards the desired triumph in the World Cup finally.
Rohit Sharma
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Rohit Sharma has been one of the best opening batsmen now in white-ball cricket. The right-hand Mumbai-based batsman, although failed to take part in the recent T20I series against Australia during India’s ongoing tour there due to injury, was in brilliant form in the last Indian Premier League, held in United Arab Emirates (UAE). He had struck 332 runs from 12 matches at a strike rate of 127.69 including his best score of 80. Talking about his career statistics in the shortest format Rohit Sharma has amassed 2773 runs playing in 108 matches with a strike rate of 138.78 and an average of 32.62 including four centuries and 21 fifties where his highest score has been 118. So Rohit Sharma is expected to be in ICC T20 World Cup Playing XI.
Shikhar Dhawan
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Shikhar Dhawan has already established his name in international cricket with some of his amazing blitzkrieg performances. Commenting on his chances of getting into the ICC T20 World Cup squad Dhawan cannot be ignored for his fabulous show in the shortest format of the game. The left-hand opening batsman has already scored 1669 runs in 62 innings in the T20Is. Especially in the IPL, Dhawan hit back-to-back centuries for Delhi Daredevils. He had scored 618 runs from 17 matches including two centuries and 4 fifties with a strike rate of 144.73 including his best score of unbeaten 106 in the last IPL in UAE. In the T20 International matches, this Delhi-based batsman has gathered 1669 runs from his 64 matches with an amazing strike rate of 128.28. He has stricken 11 fifties including his best score of 92. So Dhawan may retain his place as an opening batsman in the Predicted Playing XI for World Cup 2021.
Also Read - ICC World T20 2020
KL Rahul (wicket-keeper)
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Wicket-keeper batsman KL Rahul has already achieved fame following his eye-catching show in the T20 format. In the IPL 2020, this Bangalore-based batsman had a tremendous show with 670 runs from 14 matches for Kings XI Punjab including an unbeaten 132 with a stunning strike rate of 129.34. He also has scored 5 fifties in the IPL in UAE and looking towards his performance in the T20Is Rahul has been able to collect 1542 runs from 45 matches. He struck two centuries including his best score of unbeaten 110. The right-hand batsman has a chance of ensuring a berth in India’s predicted playing XI for ICC T20 World Cup 2021 but he will have to bat at number three position in that case as the left-hand and right-hand combination of Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan can be preferred by the selectors finally.
Also Read - ICC Player Rankings For ODI Batsman 2020
Virat Kohli (captain)
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The only question regarding Virat Kohli the current Indian captain is that at which position he will choose to bat in the T20 World Cup. Looking towards the top three options in the Indian squad Kohli might have to prefer batting at the number four position. However, if the selectors choose Rahul to bat at number four then Kohli can go up and bat at his scheduled number three position. Interestingly, Kohli has batted 14 times at the number four position in his T20 journey and combined 422 runs in those 14 innings with a brilliant strike rate of 144.52.
The Indian captain who has been extremely successful in the T20Is so far had a wonderful IPL in UAE this year as he had scored 466 runs from 15 matches. His best score in the League was unbeaten 90 while he had struck only 3 fifties maintaining the strike rate of 121.35 and an average of 42.36. Looking towards his career in the T20Is Kohli has congregated 2928 runs from his 85 matches. Although he has not been able to score a century in the T20Is, has scored 25 fifties maintaining a superb strike rate of 138.43.
Manish Pandey
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A battle is silently going on for the number five position of the Indian squad for the T20 World Cup Playing XI between Shreyas Iyer and Manish Pandey. Iyer is being hailed as the best number four-batsman Manish Pandey has a chance to get in India’s predicted playing XI for ICC T20 World Cup 2021. Although Pandey lacked consistency, the 31-year right-hand batsman from Uttaranchal has produced an impressive show as a middle-order batsman. Batting at number five position in 15 innings in T20Is so far, Pandey has hit 357 runs including the top score of unbeaten 79. In the UAE IPL in 2020, Pandey, participating in 16 matches has amassed 425 runs with the highest score of unbeaten 83. Besides, it is believed that Pandey who has formidable experience of playing in Indian condition, can change the game in his team's favor.
Hardik Pandya
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All-rounder Hardik Pandya is likely to be an automatic choice for India’s T20 World Cup Playing XI. The 27-year old Vadodara-based right-hand batsman and right-arm medium pacer had already taken part in the 2016 T20 World Cup. But being a newcomer in the tournament Pandya was not able to impress. In due course, he has matured a lot and has turned match-winner for India in the shortest format of the game. Hardik was awarded Player of the Series in recent times in the T20I series between India and Australia although he did not bowl a single delivery in the series. Pandya is such an aggressive batsman that he can change the rhythm if that was going against India during a T20 match. Besides Pandya is a challenging fielder also. He can dive out for an extra-ordinary catch that can change the momentum of the game and bring victory for the team and he is fit to bowl his scheduled 4 overs in T20 World Cup he can be a big advantage for India.
Also Read - Top 10 cricketers who never won a World Cup
Washington Sundar
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The 21-year old Chennai based right-arm off-spinner was unable to impress initially, in the first few T20 International matches. But his splendid show in the IPL this season in UAE with Royal Challengers Bangalore steered him to solidify his place among the top Indian T20 spinners. He had scalped 8 wickets from his 15 matches in the 2020 IPL including the best figure of 2 for 16 while scored 111 runs in as many matches. Washington Sundar’s performance in the IPL helped his franchise team to earn a place in the play-off stage. He's one of the main strengths is to bowl at perfect line and length that forces batsmen to get restricted and in a tournament like T20 World Cup Sundar can be effective.
Yuzvendra Chahal
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Yuzvendra Chahal is a teammate of Washington Sundar in Royal Challengers Bangalore. He is also likely to be an automatic choice in the ICC T20 World Cup squad as an important back-up in the spin bowling department. The 30-year old leg-spinner from Haryana who has completed his marriage a couple of days ago is one of the two Indian bowlers to have acquired a six-wicket haul in T20Is. Even on a batsman-favored pitch Chahal's accuracy and correctness have been witnessed. In the 1st T20I against Australia in India's ongoing tour Chahal substituting Ravindra Jadeja delivered such a game-changing spell that helped him earn the Man-of-the-Match award. He is also a player to create an impact in the shortest format of the game. In the IPL 2020, Chahal had scalped 21 wickets from 15 matches. His best bowling figure was 3 for 18 in the IPL this year.
Jasprit Bumrah
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Jasprit Bumrah, the right-arm fast bowler from Ahmadabad had also joined the national team in 2016. He also participated in the 2016 T20 World Cup and gradually he has transformed himself into the country’s top bowler in all the formats, especially in the shortest format of the game. In the IPL 2020, Bumrah has an amazing figure of 27 wickets from 15 matches. He missed the IPL Purple Cap award by a whisker. Bumrah has so far taken part in 50 T20I games and captured 59 wickets for the nation. He does not doubt ensuring a berth in the Indian team for the T20 World Cup 2021.
Also Read - 10 Current Indian cricketers whose T20I careers are almost over
Mohammed Shami
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Mohammed Shami, playing for Kings XI Punjab in the IPL 2020 in UAE had gathered 20 wickets from 14 matches including his best figure of 3 for 15. As Bhubneswar Kumar who had a brilliant beginning in the IPL this year for Sunrisers Hyderabad had been ruled out for injury and looks doubtful for the T20 World Cup next year, Shami seems to be the automatic second choice-bowler for Indian selectors. However, the fast bowler who represents Bengal in domestic cricket has so far scalped 12 wickets from 12 T20Is.
T Natarajan
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T. Natarajan is a discovery of Indian cricket, especially in T20Is in 2020. The 29-year old Salem based left-arm medium-pacer can be an 'X' factor in the T20 World Cup on home soil. The pacer picked up six wickets in his debut T20 series against Australia. The more interesting point is that after a long time the Indian team has got a left-arm medium-pacer who can pose threat to the batsmen by his accurate way-swing deliveries. In the IPL 2020, Natarajan has scalped 16 wickets from 16 matches. He can be a surprise in the T20 World Cup next year.
