Arch-rivals India and Pakistan will meet each other in the upcoming T20 World Cup scheduled to take place in Oman and United Arab Emirates (UAE). The high-voltage clash will be played on October 24 in Dubai.
Ahead of the mouthwatering battle, former India cricketer Deep Dasgupta has picked his India playing XI. Starting with the openers, Dasgupta went with Rohit Sharma alongside KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan.
The former Bengal cricketer picked captain Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, and wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant for the middle-order.
Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya were selected as all-rounders in Dasgupta’s XI. However, he mentioned that Hardik needs to bowl in order to find a place in his team.
“I wouldn’t mind KL/Ishan to open with Rohit. Virat at three. Four, Surya. Five, Rishabh. Six, Jadeja. Seven, Hardik, but he needs to bowl. That’s my biggest question: ‘Is Hardik bowling or not?’ But anyways, hopefully, he’ll bowl,” said Dasgupta on his YouTube channel.
When it comes to the bowling attack, the former wicketkeeper-batter went with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami. He didn’t pick Bhuvneshwar Kumar, stating that the Meerut-born pacer has struggled in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021. Dasgupta also selected mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy as number 10. He left the final spot to be dependent on the pitch conditions.
“Eight and nine would obviously be Bumrah and Shami as of now? Bhuvi has not looked that great. So eight and nine [those two guys]. Varun Chakravarthy at ten. And eleven… seamer batter or spinner depending on the pitch. Already we have Varun Chakravarthy and Jadeja. If the pitch remains similarly slow and turn-favouring, then they might play a leggie or another seamer,” added Dasgupta.
Here is Deep Dasgupta India playing XI:
Virat Kohli (c), KL Rahul/Ishan Kishan, Rohit Sharma (vc), Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Varun Chakravarthy, (No. 11 according to pitch conditions).
