CHANDIGARH: India will play its first T20 match of three series at Mohali on Tuesday. India will try to sort out their proper combination, especially the middle-order issue, ahead of the shortest format’s World Cup in the three-match T20I series against Australia starting Tuesday.
In the 6 matches to be held before the World Cup, some fast bowlers may have been rested, but except this, India is going with its strong team.
After Australia, India will host South Africa for three matches. It would have been important to maintain flexibility in the T20 format, but captain Rohit Sharma has already made it clear that the ICC to be held in Australia will not be played. Their players will try to find answers to all the questions before the competition. Although India batted well in the Asia Cup, it also made many changes during this period.
India’s bowling weaknesses also came to the fore in this tournament, but the return of Harshal Patel and Jasprit Bumrah gave the attack a boost. Rohit made it clear that K.L. Rahul will open the innings, but there is a possibility that Virat Kohli will come with him to open the innings. Kohli, who scored a century in his last T20 innings, can be used as an opening batsman.
Rishabh Pant or Dinesh Karthik The top four batsmen in the Indian batting order are decided, but it is not yet decided whether Rishabh Pant or Dinesh Karthik will be selected as the wicketkeeper in the playing XI.
With Ravindra Jadeja injured, India may prefer Pant over Karthik as he is a left-handed batsman. Karthik has been roped in for the role of ‘finisher’. He barely got a chance to bat in the Asia Cup but the team management may give him a chance to spend some time at the crease in the next two weeks.