- Name: India
- Captain: Virat Kohli
- Head Coach: Ravi Shastri
- Squad members: 15+3
- Best result: Champions in 2007
- WT20 2016 result: Semi final
Each time an Indian squad is selected to an ICC tournament, there’s plenty of skepticism due to questionable picks. That’s what happened this time too, with a couple of surprising selections and exclusions for the T20 World Cup 2021. Team India will be particularly upset that the 2021 World T20 was shifted to UAE and Oman because it was originally supposed to be in India where they’d have the home advantage.
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However, they’ve got to deal with what they’ve got now and we’d like to watch out for Suryakumar Yadav from the Indian squad. Super consistent over the last few editions of the India T20 league, SKY had a poor IPL 2021 especially the UAE leg but he finished off in style, which means he’s a strong contender to make the first-choice eleven. However, Ishan Kishan is another Mumbai Indians player who is likely to get a lot of game time!
In the last league stage game for MI in IPL 2021, both of them got eighties but it was later revealed that captain Kohli mentioned to Kishan that he will be opening for India at the T20 World Cup in UAE and Oman. If Rohit Sharma and Kishan are openers, then it’s going to be interesting to see where KL Rahul slots in as he’s the highest scorer in IPL 2021 (prior to the IPL 2021 final) with 620+ runs for Punjab Kings this season.
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The top three are fixed with Kohli likely to bat at #4 which means Rishabh Pant will be India’s #5 batsman. Although I’m not a big fan of this wicket-keeper, he’s proved his mettle across formats for India and he’s actually going to play a key role in this tournament, as will all-rounder Hardik Pandya. While he’s got talent overflowing in his system, he had a pathetic IPL 2021 and since he’s not bowling either, questions are being asked.
We’re wondering if it’s of any use for Hardik to be a part of the squad as the main all-rounder if he isn’t even bowling. Either way, India announced one last-minute change in Shardul Thakur replacing Axar Patel, replacing one of their bad picks and this guy seems to be having a golden touch. He got twin fifties in the only Test he was called to play in England and picked up 13 wickets in the UAE leg of IPL 2021 as well.
The biggest mistake India made was picking Ravi Ashwin over Yuzvendra Chahal. While they are both good spinners, Chahal is an attacking option who has been India’s top T20I wicket-takers over the years, while Ashwin last played a T20I in 2016. We expect the latter not to get a lot of game-time, especially with Varun Chakravarthy doing well and likely to get a spot, getting 2/26 in the Qualifier 2 for KKR in IPL 2021.
India – T20 World Cup 2021 Betting
If there’s an added spinning requirement, there’s Ravindra Jadeja who will also take over the role as India’s finisher and death overs specialist. In the last couple of seasons of the IPL, he’s displayed an exquisite ability to consistently hit big runs in the final overs, while his bowling can be tough to get away as well. For the first time in an ICC event however, India is fielding a team with no genuine turners of the cricket ball.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar is a part of the squad but I wouldn’t honestly be picking him in my first-choice team. With the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami high in rhythm and fitness, India has a great fast bowling attack and I’d rather get Thakur in the playing eleven over Bhuvi. Among the reserves is one pacer in Deepak Chahar who is a like-for-like replacement for Bhuvi in case the latter is indisposed during the tournament.
INDIA T20 World Cup 2021 squad: Virat Kohli (C), Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Rahul Chahar, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammad Shami. RESERVES: Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Axar Patel.
Virat Kohli will be feeling the heat as he stepped down from captaincy from the T20 format and then also resigned from the RCB captaincy in the Indian T20 league. Losing in the IPL 2021 playoffs, he wasn’t able to bring home the silverware but he’ll be delighted to take home top honours here, ending on a high. With a lot of MI players in the Indian squad at the 2021 T20 World Cup, things will only better if Rohit lends some help with the strategising and on-field decisions.
For more updates on Team India at the 2021 T20 World Cup, stay tuned to ReadScoops.com…
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