The IPL is done and we are already into another grand tournament, the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. Several teams made changes to their previously released 15-man squads and so did India.
However, they made only one change and that was Shardul Thakur replacing Axar Patel. But with a plethora of talent in the Indian squad, are we wary of our best XI? Well, that's our task for today! Let's have a look at the best XI of the Indian side in this World Cup.
1) Rohit Sharma
Talk all about his IPL form, Rohit Sharma always turns up a notch when it's about putting up numbers in an ICC tournament. An opener with Sharma's experience, caliber, and talent is all you need to start your batting innings.
2) KL Rahul
Scoring over 600 runs in less than 15 matches in the IPL is not easy but that may not be the case with KL Rahul. KL Rahul's performance this season saw him score over 500 runs in four consecutive seasons.
His team was not at their best but that's certainly not the case with Rahul. He batted with class, intent, and style and his confidence was evident from his strokes. Rahul surely makes it to India's best XI in this world cup.
3) Virat Kohli
King Kohli had made several life-changing decisions this year, and while all that seems too much, Kohli was very unlucky to have not been able to win the IPL this year too.
However, the best part about the UAE leg was that people witnessed the vintage Kohli again and his aggression is all India will need in their batting.
4) Suryakumar Yadav
While several people questioned Suryakumar's presence in the side despite a poor IPL 2021, he's the best we have at number 4. Yes, a lot of you would find this statement debatable but Shreyas Iyer's form wasn't that great to make the skipper and management feel that they needed a change.
Virat Kohli himself mentioned that their selection is not just on form, they believe in the ability of the player and would always back it before making a bold decision. So yes, Yadav at no.4 in India's best XI is a surety.
5) Rishabh Pant (wk)
His place seemed very obvious too as he is India's first-choice wicket-keeper batsman. However, his captaincy skills came under the scanner in the IPL this season but no worries, India would want Pant to focus on what suits him the best and that is explosive batting in the middle.
We didn't see him in his best form but still, Pant would surely be given a place in India's Best XI for the T20 World Cup.
6) Hardik Pandya/ Ishan Kishan
Another player who has been in the headlines for quite some time, Pandya is not having the time of his life and everyone is aware of it. In addition to his rough form, the fact that he has been finding it difficult to bowl due to the recent injury will be a huge concern for the team. Although, said that, his raw power and ability to make a difference on the field will always keep the destructive all-rounder in contention.
Moving forward, if India decides to play six pure batters, then there is no doubt that Ishan Kishan will be making the cut as he showcased some exemplary hitting in the last match against SRH in the group stages of the recently concluded IPL and continued the great form onto the warm-up matches as well against England. This could be a breakout tournament for the youngster and he could be well in contention for a spot against the likes of Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya.
7) Ravindra Jadeja
Well, Jadeja's competition in the team is unmatched and his one of the players whose presence in the Best XI can never be questioned.
You have a world-class batsman, a world-class fielder, and an economical partnership-breaker on your side, would you ever keep him out? We don't think so!
8) Varun Chakravarthy
Another player whose IPL form makes him a strong contender to feature in most of the games for India in this world cup, Varun Chakravarthy was phenomenal in the IPL 2021 second phase.
Varun Chakravarthy won the man of the match for his terrific bowling performance by taking 3 wickets for 13 runs from 4 overs - good start as important months coming ahead for him with T20 WC as well.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) September 20, 2021
On slow pitches of UAE, Chakravarthy is not an option but a necessity and his form ensure his entry in India's best XI.
9) Jasprit Bumrah
The world's premium T20 bowler cannot be out of this team, right? Jasprit Bumrah's yorkers are all that India wants to see in the world cup and he would surely want to back himself up after not the best IPL season he's had.
10) Shardul Thakur/ Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Shardul Thakur was roped in the main squad after his terrific performances this year and also in the IPL. He was not just economical but he picked wickets and most of them very match-changing wickets that got his side back in the game.
Thakur in 2021 proved that he can bat too and that's what you want from a player in the T20 World Cup, to do everything possible in all departments.
As far as Bhuvneshwar Kumar is concerned, his biggest positive was that he kept his fitness on priority and proved his selection by performing in the IPL despite his franchise's disastrous form.
Both of them or at least one would surely be in India's best XI.
11) Mohammad Shami/Rahul Chahar
In the true sense, these two bowlers with the two mentioned above, these four players could be used in the world cup in several combinations.
In games we could see two of these pacers with one spinner, while we could also see India picking Thakur as the third seamer too, considering his batting potential.
The players will be selected on their form and how the team needs them but be it Shami, Thakur, or Kumar, all of them are above in the pecking order when compared to Rahul Chahar.
The thing that could fall in Chahar's favor is the pitch and if India feels a third spinner is a must, you know who they would be calling up!
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