India Vs Australia 2018: India’s Predicted Xi For The First T20i; Big Boys Under The Spotlight

India are in Australia and the stage is set for a bumper season of cricket. The two teams will kick-start the season with a 3-match T20I series and India seem to be the favourites if the rankings and the recent series results are factored in. But, as Ravi Shastri put it, Australia playing at home can never be taken lightly.

We take a look at India’s predicted XI for the first T20I in Brisbane.

Rohit Sharma

“He’s an unbelievable player. His record speaks for itself. He’s got a good record all around the world, so he’s a definite player to watch,” Australian pacer Nathan Coulter-Nile said before the match.

India’s vice-captain has been in destructive form in the shortest format and on the true surfaces of Australia, he can take the match away from the opposition in a heartbeat if he gets going.

Shikhar Dhawan

After a string of low scores against West Indies in the home series, Shikhar Dhawan finally found form in the final match of the series and is a man in form heading into the first match of the series.

The Rohit-Dhawan combination has been prolific at the top of the order for India against the white ball and how the innings starts might well define how the rest of the series pans out.

Virat Kohli

The captain is back leading the troops after being rested for the series against West Indies, and he will be marching out with the spotlight firmly on him. He enjoys being under the scanner and Virat Kohli would want to start the summer in an emphatic manner and a defining innings right at the beginning is just what he would want.

KL Rahul

For all his class and temperament, KL Rahul has been an enigma in his short career so far. However, his batting form in the shortest format has been an absolute revelation and with a solid backfoot game, he should be a success in Australia.

Rishabh Pant

There is plenty of excitement over Rishabh Pant and his abilities and this tour could well be the moment of reckoning as far as his credentials as a cricketer is concerned. He will be tested with the short-pitched stuff and he responds might set the tone for the rest of the season. Also, he has the small matter of replacing a certain MS Dhoni and the expectations he shouldered for all these years.

Dinesh Karthik

He might not be part of the plans in Test and ODI cricket, but Dinesh Karthik should walk out in the first T20I as the finisher for the visitors. He has shown enough ability to not only go for the full monty towards the end of the innings, but also be the umbrella man if the situation so demands.

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Krunal Pandya

Many believed that Krunal was handed a debut a couple of seasons too late, but the older Pandya gave a great account of himself in the series against the Windies. He was crafty with the ball and very canny with the bat. His all-round abilities are just what Kohli would want come the crunch situations.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar

He had a decent series against the West Indies, but captain Virat Kohli would want Bhuvneshwar Kumar to be at his absolute best in this series. On pitches with good carry and bounce, the experience of Bhuvneshwar with the new as well as the old ball is integral to India’s plans.

Kuldeep Yadav

India won the T20I series in England primarily because of the form and skills of Kuldeep Yadav and Kohli would expect his chinaman to repeat the performances. Australia are jittery against wrist-spin and on his day, Kuldeep can run through sides. He will the captain’s trump card.

Yuzvendra Chahal

Attacking with the wrist-spinners has been Virat Kohli’s modus operandi in limited overs cricket for a while now and it should be the same against the stroke-makers of Australia. Chahal has lost some of his wicket-taking skills and this series can be a good place to find some lost form.

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Jasprit Bumrah

“He (Bumrah) is the real X-factor – 28 wickets in six Tests. I have seen him in the IPL. He has that unorthodox action, a stuttery run-up, a weird run-up but I think for batsmen you don’t get a real good sight of the ball but he has got pace and bounce and has a great yorker that I think he will utilise particularly against the tail,” former Australian quick Damien Fleming said about Jasprit Bumrah.

The fast-bowler is now the leader of this bowling attack and his wicket-taking abilities right throughout the innings is what has won India so many matches over the past 15 months.

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