India v England, 1st ODI - India Predicted XI

After a thoroughly clinical Test series win, the action moves to limited-overs cricket. Team India will hope to continue their good run under the newly appointed skipper Virat Kohli. At the same time, the England team will be hoping for the fortunes to change with the change in the format of the game. It is worth noting that the English limited-overs team has been a much more balanced unit than their Test side. The same was evident when they managed to win the first warm-up match against India A. The England team are keen on getting their balance right and are considering options to draft into the playing set up. India, on the other hand, have a problem of plenty. The Indian squad has been bolstered by the return of Yuvraj Singh and Shikhar Dhawan. Former skipper MS Dhoni will take the field as non captain for the first time since a long time. While the eventual playing eleven depends on what the team management deem to be right, here we have the predicted XI for the India v England 1st ODI. The match will be played at the MCA Stadium in Pune. The venue has not been a happy hunting ground for the Indian cricket team thus far. Here is the predicted XI that can turn the tables on January 15: Shikhar Dhawan Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan. (Photo credit JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images) After being out of the action for close to three months, Shikhar Dhawan is all set to make a comeback to the national side. The southpaw hasn’t had the best of times in his recent appearances for team India. As per most critics, the opportunity in the England series might well be an alarm call for Dhawan. In case he fails to deliver, he will be under serious threat to lose his position. He is most likely to play the first ODI as the senior opener in the absence of Rohit Sharma. Also read- MS Dhoni feels Virat is ready for limited-overs captaincy KL Rahul KL Rahul. (Photo Source: BCCI) KL Rahul has been a revelation for team India in the last calendar year. Given his prolific run with the bat in the final Test against England, Rahul looks like a threatening prospect at the top order. He is equally good with the bat when it comes to the shorter formats. He has an ODI century to his name that he scored on his ODI debut last year. His last appearance for India in ODI series was against Zimbabwe. He had to miss out on the New Zealand ODI series and hence the Karnataka batsman would be eager to make this count. Virat Kohli (C) Virat Kohli. (Photo Source: BCCI) Virat Kohli will be all geared up to take the field as India’s full-time captain of all the three formats for the first time. The pressure would surely be there but the Delhi batsman knows how to deal with it. His personal form with the bat has been breathtaking. Having emerged as the leading run scorer for India in the Test match series against England, Kohli will look to stamp his authority in the ODIs too. He will be the batting mainstay of the Indian middle order. MS Dhoni (wk) Mahendra Singh Dhoni. (Photo Source: BCCI) There have been speculations about MS Dhoni come up the order in the batting lineup. Do not get surprised to see Dhoni walk in at number 4 in the England series. Indian skipper Virat Kohli has also cleared that he personally wishes Dhoni to bat higher up in the order. With the pressure of captaincy taken off him, Dhoni will have the freedom to play the way he wants to. Many players and fans are keenly waiting to see the Dhoni of yesteryears take the centerstage yet again. Also read- 5 Reasons why you should be excited about the India-England ODI series Yuvraj Singh Yuvraj Singh. (Photo Source: Twitter) The middle order looked beefed up with the likes of Dhoni and Kohli in the side. The place for the number 5 spot will be closely contested one. It is expected that Yuvraj Singh’s experience will count in his favor when it comes to the first ODI. Yuvraj is likely to play ahead of Manish Pandey or Ajinkya Rahane in the line up. Yuvraj has been in a good form in the Ranji Season this year. He also had a decent outing with the bat in the first warm-up encounter. Kedar Jadhav India’s batsman Kedar Jadhav. (Photo by JEKESAI NJIKIZANA/AFP/Getty Images) If Kedar Jadhav misses out to be a part of the starting eleven, it will only be an unfair deal to him. The Maharashtra batsman had performed well with both bat and the ball in the ODI series against New Zealand. He had surprised the Kiwi batsmen with his part time spinners. Expect Jadhav to continue on the same lines in this series as well. Someone like Rahane fits the bill too. However, it is very unlikely that India will play Rahane and then make him bat at number 6. Hardik Pandya India’s Hardik Pandya.(Photo credit should read MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/Getty Images) Hardik Pandya is India’s new found bowling option. The Baroda all-rounder had done exceptionally well with the new ball in the New Zealand series. He is someone who can crank it up to high 140s with the ball. As admitted by former skipper MS Dhoni, Pandya allows the captain to have the privilege of playing with an extra batter. He is very handy with the bat in the lower order. He recently hit a brisk 95 in a T20 game in Mumbai. Ravichandran Ashwin Ravichandran Ashwin of India. (Photo by Pal Pillai/IDI via Getty Images) Ace Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin will be back in Indian limited overs side after being rested for the New Zealand series. Ashwin will be the frontline spinner in the side. Ashwin knows the condition at Pune well enough after having spent a considerable amount of time at the venue during the IPL last year. Ashwin’s current bowling form is in supreme height. Don’t be surprised to see him translate his Test form to ODIs. Ashwin will look to get good match practice as India do not have too many ODIs before the Champions Trophy. Also read- Want to see Dhoni bat in his old style: Ajinkya Rahane Ravindra Jadeja Ravindra Jadeja of India. (Photo by Christopher Lee-IDI/IDI via Getty Images) Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja had been an integral part of Indian team setup. He was rested for the New Zealand series and is expected to make his comeback in this series against England. His inclusion in the side also helps team India to bat deep. Jadeja can be very economical with the ball in the middle overs. He will play the second spinner’s role in the side. Just like Ashwin, he would like some match practice under his belt too. Jasprit Bumrah India’s Jasprit Bumrah. (Photo by PUNIT PARANJPE/AFP/Getty Images) Jasprit Bumrah will be seen back in action. He was impressive for his domestic side Gujarat in the Ranji Trophy this season. So Bumrah is surely not short on match practice at the moment. He has been India’s go to man in the death overs. His guile and precision with the yorkers towards the end of the innings will hold the key for India’s bowling. English batsmen are yet to get a taste of his unique action. Umesh Yadav India’s Umesh Yadav. (Photo by PATRICK HAMILTON/AFP/Getty Images) Umesh Yadav will share the new ball with Hardik Pandya. This was the case during India’s recent ODI series against New Zealand. Yadav bowls are serious pace up front. He has been successful in getting key breakthroughs for India at the start of the innings. In the last tour, he had made Martin Guptill his bunny and had cleaned him up all squared on a couple of occasions. Expect Yadav to firing in some darters at Jason Roy and Alex Hales too.

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India v England, 1st ODI - India Predicted XI

MS Dhoni (wk)

Also read- 5 Reasons why you should be excited about the India-England ODI series

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