Team India’s Cricket Schedule for 2022

ICC T20 World Cup 2021: Strongest Playing XI for India in T20 World Cup 2021 backed by experts.

India’s Playing XI in T20 World Cup: With a B-string Indian team playing against Sri Lanka in the upcoming three matches T20Is following the last ODI on 23rd July, the auditions will be over for the places up for grabs in the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 squads for India. Although the remaining 31 matches of the IPL 2021 could possibly help players secure a few slots in the World Cup squad, it will demand a blazing performance from the cricketers.

The Indian Cricket board already got a glimpse of a few players who showed great encouragement and will secure their places in the squad.

A clear idea of what the Indian squad will look like will be in front of us once Shikhar Dhawan reveals the actual playing11 for the first T20I against Sri Lanka.

Here in this article, we have picked the strongest possible playing XI for India in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2021 that is actually backed by the experts.

ICC T20 World Cup 2021: Strongest Playing XI for India in T20 World Cup 2021 backed by experts:

Openers:

Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul in T20Is (Strongest Playing XI for India in T20 World Cup 2021 backed by experts)
Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul in T20Is

#1. Rohit Sharma (Vice-Captain):

The limited-overs deputy of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma will be the automatic choice advancing in the ICC event. There have been certain questions about Rohit Sharma’s longest format career, which he will be looking to answer in the upcoming Test series against England, however, his legacy in the white-ball format is well known and can’t be neglected.

The ‘Hitman’ of Indian cricket has shown his class and composure all over the world in the shortest format scoring tons of runs against every side.

Sharma is the most capped Indian cricketer in the T20Is with 111 appearances and is only behind Pakistan’s Shoaib Malik. Moreover, the cricketer has amassed 2864 runs at a strike rate of 138.96 along with four daddy tons and 22 half-centuries.

#2. KL Rahul:

Owing to his brilliant form in the recent IPL 2021, KL Rahul will certainly make it to the playing XI for India in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup.

Rahul has shown good signs for India pairing with Rohit Sharma in the T20Is and also fits in the combination with a high scoring rate.

Although Shikhar Dhawan has also been there as a tough competitor in the opening slot, a better strike rate and record in the T20Is puts KL Rahul up in the driving seat.

In the 45 innings for India, Rahul has amassed 1557 runs at a strike rate of 142 with two centuries and 12 half-centuries.

Middle-Order:

Virat Kohli (Strongest Playing XI for India in T20 World Cup 2021 backed by experts)
Virat Kohli

#3. Virat Kohli (Captain):

There is no competition of this man in the entire world. Virat Kohli has led all the races in which he took part and has been the best of the best.

The skipper of the Indian side will claim his position at number three, although he proclaimed to open the innings.

Kohli didn’t perform to his calibre in the IPL 2021 first half while opening the innings with Devdutt Padikkal which certainly breaks the idea of him opening with Rohit Sharma in presence of KL Rahul or Shikhar Dhawan.


Virat has plundered a massive 3159 runs in 84 innings of the T20Is and has an average of over 50.

#4. Rishabh Pant (Wicket-Keeper):

The Indian fans will watch the services from Rishabh Pant at number 4 for India in the forthcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2021.

With what Rishabh Pant has shown us in the past few months, he has been inevitable in the Indian side across formats. His audacity and supreme intelligence to pull off unimaginable blinders have kept all of us in awe of his batting style.

Moreover, his improved wicketkeeping skills have provided confidence to step up and win matches for his team.

Talking about his stats, the southpaw has scored 512 in 29 innings for India at an average of 21.33.

ICC T20 World Cup 2021: Strongest Playing XI for India in T20 World Cup 2021 backed by experts

#5. Suryakumar Yadav:

The Indian management and experts are amazed to see what this grown man has to offer India. In such a short time since his T20I debut, Suryakumar Yadav has presented himself as one of the most dependable batsmen in the Indian team.

In recent India vs Sri Lanka ODIs, Yadav scored his maiden half-century in the second game. He looked in brilliant touch even though the situations favoured the opposition.

Talking about his 2 innings T20I experience with India, Yadav has scored 89 runs at a strike rate of 185.

Yadav and Pant can switch their places to each other depending upon the situation and need of the hour.

All Rounders:

T20 World Cup 2021: All-rounder Hardik Pandya hopeful to bowl in the ICC World Cup 2021
Hardik Pandya

#6. Hardik Pandya:

The young dashing all-rounder Hardik Pandya is the biggest asset for India. Although he has not shown any encouraging signs in the recent past due to various injuries and niggles, he has proved his worth more often than not.

Hardik was in sensational form in the Australia series and bowled really well in recent India vs England home T20Is series.

We all know what he can do with the bat, but his honed bowling skills will be an added advantage for India advancing to the World Cup.

As far as his stats are concerned, the all-rounder scored with a strike rate of 147.66 and has 41 wickets in 48 matches.

#7. Ravindra Jadeja:

Virat Kohli and Indian management will also require the services of all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja in the World Cup.

He is a complete package of the best player in the world. He is brilliant with both bat and ball.

He has shown improvements lately and that can be seen by his performance in the last Australia tour and the IPL 2021.

He has smacked huge sixes with willow in hand and tricked the batters against his left-arm spin bowling. Moreover, the southpaw has not spared anyone who dared to take on his rocket arm throw while fielding.

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ICC T20 World Cup 2021: Strongest Playing XI for India in T20 World Cup 2021 backed by experts

Bowlers:

Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Strongest Playing XI for India in T20 World Cup 2021 backed by experts)
Bhuvneshwar Kumar

#8. Shardul Thakur:

Shardul Thakur had a horrible outing in the first half of the IPL 2021 where he was smacked by the batsman all over the park. Moreover, the pacer struggled to find the correct line and length for him.

However, his brilliance in the England series can’t be overshadowed. Thakur remained the stand out performer for India in the limited-overs series against England.

The bowling all-rounder has a knack for conceding runs but makes sure to pick wickets in the succession to put the opposition on backfoot.

He also fits in Virat’s thoughts to pick the Indian team that can bat deep and can go after the bowlers in the backend.

#9. Bhuvneshwar Kumar:

India will look to have the abilities of Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the T20 World Cup.

His everlasting injuries have kept him away from the white jersey for India, however, his limited-overs form is consistently improving.

He was brilliant in England’s T20Is by not only preventing batsmen score runs but also picked wickets.

His experience in the short format will be crucial for India. Moreover, his ability to score a couple of runs at the end of the innings will come in handy.

The pacer has clipped off 45 wickets in 48 matches for India at an economy of 6.98.

#10. Jasprit Bumrah:

The name all of us want in our teams, Jasprit Bumrah will be the man to lead the pace attack of India.

No pacer can replace Bumrah unless there is any fitness issue.

India has looked at Bumrah to deliver when there is any need of emergency and the pacer has delivered more often than not.

His pinpoint yorkers along with unexpected slower balls make a deadly combination in the shortest format where the batsman always try to smack the bowler.

Bumrah has scalped 59 in 50 matches for India in the T20Is at an impressive economy of 6.66.

#11. Yuzvendra Chahal:

The leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal deserves to be in the T20I team for India. He was piped out due to the presence of a couple of young leg spinners, however, his experience has worked for him in the past.

Chahal is performing outstandingly well in ongoing India vs Sri Lanka ODI series and is the pick of the bowlers for India.

The spinner has picked up 62 wickets for India in 48 matches at an economy of 8.40.

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