Nidahas Trophy 2018, Final - India Predicted XI

The stage is all set for the big finals of the Nidahas Trophy 2018. The spirited Bangladeshi side will take on team India for the ultimate glory. It is only a matter of shame that the hosts, Sri Lanka, have failed to qualify for the finals of the series that has been organised to mark their independence celebration. In any case, as the adage goes, the top two teams are ready for the final show down.

Team India have been a very consistent side in the tournament. After their initial loss in the series opener, they have managed to win every other game that they have played. In the process, they have beaten the same Bangladesh side twice in the competition. On the other hand, team Bangladesh have made it to the finals owing to their two nail-biting wins against the hosts, Sri Lanka.

Now, the final promises to be a big affair. Bangladeshi would be high on confidence and so would the Indian side be. The Men in Blue will enter the competition as the favorites to win. However, the Rohit Sharma-side cannot get complacent. They have to ensure that they put their best combination forward as they take the field on the finals. Only a balanced side can win the game for the Indian side.

Here is the India Predicted XI for the finals of the Nidahas Trophy 2018:

Openers (Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan)

Team India skipper Rohit Sharma was under tremendous pressure to perform as he had arrived to bat in the previous game against Bangladesh. He had a string of low scores to his name in the previous few outings. He, however, came back to form just at the right time for the team. His knock of 89 helped India beat the opposition in their last league game.

Meanwhile, the other opener, Shikhar Dhawan, has been in top form. Dhawan has been scoring runs at will in the last couple of months. Even if he fails to get a big score, he ensures that he provides a brisk start to the team in the powerplay overs.

Middle-Order (Suresh Raina, Manish Pandey, KL Rahul)

The Indian middle-order is yet to get a solid outing. Suresh Raina has shown brilliance in short spells with the bat. Being the senior most player in the side, Raina has been expected to shoulder the bulk of the responsibility in the middle order. He largely failed in his attempt in the first few games but came good with a 47 to his name in the previous match.

Meanwhile, Manish Pandey has been a consistent run getter for the team. However, in his case, the pace of the run scoring has been bothering the management. He has been getting crucial 30s  and 40s. But a big knock, at a brisk pace, is what the team would need in the finals.

KL Rahul was drafted in the playing eleven after the first couple of games. He came at the expense of Rishabh Pant. He is likely to be retained in the side. He got off to a decent start in the match against Sri Lanka and then did not get a chance to bat in the match against Bangladesh.

Wicket-keeper (Dinesh Karthik)

Dinesh Karthik has looked very solid in everything that he has done in the series thus far. His work with the gloves has been blemish free. And with the bat, he has made the most out of the limited opportunities that he has got thus far. In the game against Sri Lanka, he played a valuable knock to take India home.

All-rounders (Washington Sundar, Vijay Shankar)

Young Washington Sundar had been the most successful bowler for India in the series. Sundar has bowled tight lines with the new ball in the powerplay to keep the Indian side in commanding position on most occasions. With the bat, he is yet to get a look in.

The same goes for Vijay Shankar. Vijay Shankar has shown great skills with the ball. He has been able to contain the run flow in the middle overs. Also, he has chipped in with crucial wickets in the series. It is worth noting that he is a very capable batsman as well. However, he is yet to get a chance to show his skills with the bat.

Spinners (Yuzvendra Chahal)

In the spin bowling department, Yuzvendra Chahal fits the list. Chahal had a very rough run in the tournament. He had failed to pick wickets and was not very successful in containing the run flow either. However, in the previous game, he bowled a very economical spell and looks to have found his touch yet again.

Pace bowlers (Jaydev Unadkat, Shardul Thakur)

In the pace bowling department, the Indian team is likely to field in a change. Last match, they had rested Jaydev Unadkat and gave an opportunity to Mohammed Siraj. The talented Hyderabad pacer failed to grab his opportunity and leaked runs at over 12 runs per over. Hence, in all likelihood, Jaydev Unadkat could make a comeback to the side.

Meanwhile, Shardul Thakur is likely to retain his place in the side as the other pacer. Thakur also has been struggling with consistency when it comes to the economy rate. However, he has managed to be a wicket taking option for the Indian team. With a four wicket haul to his name in the series, Thakur is likely to be in the playing eleven.

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