Predicting India's 18-man squad for T20 World Cup 2022

Three back to back 3-0 series victories, including nine straight wins – New skipper Rohit Sharma and coach Rahul Dravid couldn’t have asked for a better start as India capped off a sensational run in the first half of their preparation for the 2022 T20 World Cup. The biggest positive feedback from recently concluded series has been India’s bench strength. Several of their main players were rested across this period including former skipper Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah who missed two series each while Rishabh Pant missed one. Meanwhile, six players made their debuts and the men in blue found seven different Player of the Match winners in nine games. On that note, let’s predict India’s 18-man squad for T20 WC 2022: 1. Rohit Sharma (C) Rohit Sharma. (Photo Source: Twitter) Skipper Rohit Sharma will have the responsibility to open the innings and provide a good start for his side in the all important tournament. The batter is most likely to open innings along with KL Rahul or Ishan Kishan. Speaking about his numbers in T20Is, Rohit has played 125 T20 matches for India in which he has amassed a total of 3313 runs at an average of 32.17. The right-handed batter also has a very good strike rate of almost 140. Rohit has also 26 fifties and four centuries to his name while playing for India in shortest format of the game. Along with his batting, the India captain will also have the responsibility to lead his troops in the World Cup. Team India under the leadership of Rohit will be looking to emulate their performance of WC 2007 when they became the first ever country to win the T20 WC. 2. Virat Kohli Virat Kohli. (Photo Source: Twitter) Run-machine Virat Kohli will be one of the key batters for India at the T20 WC. Playing at number three, Kohli will be responsible for anchoring Indian innings till the very last over while other batters try to play freely. Kohli alongside Rohit Sharma are the two most important batters for the men in blue. Talking about Kohli’s numbers in shortest format of the game, the 33-year old has piled on 3,296 runs at a staggering average of 51.5 in 97 T20Is. His strike rate is also on the higher side as he is scoring his runs at 137.68. The right-handed batter has 30 half centuries under his belt. Former Indian skipper Kohli brings out his A-game when playing in Australia and it will be his responsibility to make this tournament successful for his country. He has been playing for India for the past decade and has proven his mettle in pressure situations as well. As a result, Indian fans will be expecting Kohli to bring out his beast version during the T20 WC. 3. KL Rahul KL Rahul. (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images) Stylish batter KL Rahul, with his consistent performances, has fixed his place in senior Indian team. Rahul has become an integral part of men in blue and has come up many match winning knocks for India in the past. It is very likely that he will open the innings along with skipper Rohit. Rahul has represented India in 56 T20 matches in which he has scored 1831 runs and has an amazing average of 40.69. The batter has an outrageous strike rate of 142.49 as well. Rahul has also scored 16 fifties and two centuries for India in shortest format of the game. The 29-year old has become a mature player over the years and will play an important role alongside Kohli and Rohit in the all-important tournament. The right-handed batter was recently given the captaincy of India’s Test side too, so it is evident that Rahul has been included in the leadership group of the Indian squad. 4. Rishabh Pant Rishabh Pant. (Photo by Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images/Getty Images) Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant will have the responsibility to provide a strong finish for Indian team in the death overs. The 24-year old batter has been a regular feature of India’s limited overs side since the exit of Indian legend MS Dhoni. Known for his fearless approach, Pant will be a key factor for Indian side T20 WC. The 24-year-old has represented India in 43 T20 matches in which he has scored 683 runs at an average of 24.39. The batter has a decent strike rate of 126.01 along with three half centuries under his name. Pant has a highest score of 65 runs while playing for men in blue. Team India have several batters in their squad who can play long innings. However, Pant is someone who can hit the big shots from ball one. As a result, the wicketkeeper-batter role becomes more vital for the Indian side at the T20 WC. 5. Shreyas Iyer Shreyas Iyer (Photo source: Twitter) Indian batter Shreyas Iyer has been in the form of his life recently. The 27-year-old was recently adjudged player of the series in a three match T20I series against Sri Lanka. Looking at his current form, Iyer is one of the players who will be surely on the flight to Australia. Iyer has represented India in 36 T20 matches and has scored 809 runs at an average of 36.77. He boasts of a strike rate of 141.43 while playing for India. Iyer has already stroked six half centuries in his T20I career. Known for hitting a long ball, Iyer can play a vital role in the middle order and will look to grab every opportunity. He was recently named the skipper of IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and wpuld love to show the national team management that he has the abilities to lead a side as well. Iyer has already captained Delhi Capitals in previous seasons of the tournament. 6. Suryakumar Yadav Suryakumar Yadav. (Photo Source: BCCI) After performing exceptionally well for his IPL franchise, batter Suryakumar Yadav has risen through the ranks at the national level as well. The 31-year old is a flexible player who can either bat top of the order or look to provide a strong finish for his team during the death overs. Talking about his T20I career, Surya has played 14 matches for India and scored 351 runs at an average of almost 40. The right-handed batter has an amazing strike rate of 165.57 which makes him a deadly batter. He has four fifties to his name as well. The Mumbai player has been in exceptional form in the IPL as well. Suryakumar has played 115 IPL matches and has amassed 2341 runs at an average of 28.9. He will be one of the favorites to be included in starting XI of Indian team. 7. Ishan Kishan Ishan Kishan (Photo source: Twitter) Explosive batter at the top and safe behind the stumps, the left-handed batter Ishan Kishan will hope to be in the starting XI of Indian team for T20 WC. The 23-year old is a fearless batter who can take the game away from opposition within few overs of the game. Kishan, in his young T20I career, has played ten matches for the Men in Blue. The left-handed batter has made 289 runs for India in the shortest format of game at an average of 32.11. He also strikes the ball at 121.43 and is comfortable to face both pace and spin bowling. With Pant already in the team, it is less likely that Kishan will get to feature in the playing XI right from the start of tournament. However, the left-handed batter will look to grab every opportunity that comes in his way with both hands. 8. Ravindra Jadeja Ravindra Jadeja (Photo source: Twitter) India’s ace-all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja walks into the starting XI on any given day. Since making his debut in 2009, the 33-year old all-rounder has come a long way in the international arena. Known for his tight lines in bowling and hitting lusty blows towards the end of an innings, Jadeja will be a key performer for the Indian side in T20 WC. Jadeja has played 58 T20 matches for India in which he as scored 326 at an average of 21.73 and a strike-rate of 124.43. Talking about his bowling, Jadeja has scalped 48 wickets with a decent economy of 7.04. Apart from some other senior players like Kohli, Rohit and Jasprit Bumrah, Jadeja will hold the cards for India’s success in the T20 WC. It has also been seen in the past that Jadeja brings out his best in ICC tournaments and the onus will once again be on him to replicate his past performances. 9. Jasprit Bumrah Jasprit Bumrah. (Photo by AAMIR QURESHI/AFP via Getty Images) Yorker king Jasprit Bumrah will be one of the most senior pacers travelling to Australia to participate in T20 WC. Apart from his responsibility to bowl key overs for India, Bumrah will be looking to provide his expertise to his fellow pacers during the matches. Bumrah has been a consistent performer for India be it in limited overs cricket or in Tests. Talking about his numbers in T20Is, he has scalped a total of 67 wickets at an average of 19.9. The right-arm pacer has been giving only 6.51 runs per over as well. Bumrah has been the captain’s go-to bowler in any situation. Over the years, he has developed himself as prominent bowler with several variants including venomous bouncer and deceptive slower balls in his arsenal. 10. Harshal Patel Harshal Patel. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI) Harshal Patel had a terrific IPL 2021 where he scalped 32 wickets in 15 matches and won the Purple cap as well. Known for his deceptive slower balls, Harshal can be a good addition to Indian squad for T20 WC. He has played a total of 63 IPL matches picking a total of 78 wickets. The 31-year old bowler has an average of 23.18 in the tournament. Talking about his international career, Harshal has represented India in eight matches in which he has scalped a total of 11 wickets. However, his economy is on a little higher side with 8.52 which is fair given he bowls during the toughest phase of the game. Apart from Bumrah, the men in blue have some troubles in finalizing their death overs bowlers for the tournament. Harshal, if given some more opportunities at the top level, might be India’s answer to their issues. Apart from having a deceptive slower ball, the right-handed pacer can surprise the batters with his effective bouncer as well. 11. Ravi Ashwin Ravichandran Ashwin. (Photo by AAMIR QURESHI/AFP via Getty Images) Ravi Ashwin made a stunning come back to the limited-overs set up during the T20 World Cup last year. He has evolved a lot as a spinner in the shorter formats ever since dropping out of the plans in 2017. The off-spinner impressed in the IPL every time he played and did well in the three matches he played in the mega event last year. He also continued his good job for India in the subsequent bilateral series against New Zealand played before missing out vs Sri Lanka and West Indies. Having picked 61 wickets in 51 T20Is and with loads of experience, Rohit Sharma would want Ashwin in his team for the World Cup in Australia. 12. Bhuvneshwar Kumar Bhuvneshwar Kumar. (Photo Source: Twitter) Not at his best, but pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar still has the capability and experience to walk into any T20 side. The 32-year old can be a lethal weapon for India in WC, particularly with the new ball. The veteran pacer has represented India in 59 T20 matches and managed to scalp a total of 58 wickets at an impressive economy of 6.99. Kumar has also shown his capabilities with the bat as well involving in some of the match winning partnerships in the past. Apart from his ability to swing the ball both ways, Kumar has a very good yorker in his arsenal which can prove to be very beneficial particularly at the back end of the innings. 13. Deepak Chahar Deepak Chahar. (Photo source: Twitter/BCCI) Indian allrounder Deepak Chahar made the headlines after he was picked by Chennai Super Kings at a whopping price of INR 14 crore in IPL 2022 mega auction. However, the right-arm pacer is unlikely to play a few matches due to injury concerns. Keeping his injury in mind, if available, Chahar can prove to be a like for like replacement for all-rounders like Shardul Thakur or Hardik Pandya. Chahar has the ability to swing the new cherry by a long way. Plus, he can be a very useful batter for his side as well. In 20 T20I matches, Chahar has scalped 26 wickets at an average of 22.27. The 29-year old pacer has a decent economy of 8.27. Talking about his batting ability, Chahar has scored two fifties for India in 50-over format. He can be more than handy with bat for India if top and middle order of the team suffers a collapse. 14. Hardik Pandya Hardik Pandya. (Photo Source: Instagram) BCCI selection committee chairman Chetan Sharma recently cleared the air around selection of Hardik Pandya stating that the all-rounder will be picked when he is 100% fit. Pandya hasn’t featured in the Indian squad since the T20 WC 2021 after the men in blue were knocked out of the group stage. However, Indian fans would want the hard-hitting batter to be included in the squad. The 28-year-old will be captaining the new franchise Gujarat Titans in the upcoming season of IPL. Pandya will look to perform well in the the tournament considering it a stepping stone for his selection in India’s T20 squad for the all important WC. Hardik has represented India in 54 T20 matches in which he has scored 553 runs at a outstanding strike rate of 146. With ball, Pandya has scalped 42 wickets going at an economy of 8.23 in the short format of the game. 15. Shardul Thakur Shardul Thakur. (Photo by Surjeet Yadav/Getty Images) The knack of taking wickets and scoring quick runs is what makes Shardul Thakur the number one contender for the all-rounder spot in team India. The 30-year old has risen through the ranks after performing exceptionally well before getting his call up to the national side. Thakur has played 25 matches for the men in blue in shortest format of the game. The right-arm pacer has scalped a total of 33 wickets going with a strike rate of 15.33. In batting, Thakur has an outstanding strike rate of 181.58. Under the guidance of veteran Indian player and current CSK skipper MS Dhoni, Thakur has grown in his stature becoming more and more lethal with both bat and ball. It will be interesting to see if the Palghar-born cricketer gets into the starting XI of India in T20 WC straightaway. 16. Yuzvendra Chahal Yuzvendra Chahal. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images) India leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal will probably be the first choice spinner for Indian side in the all important T20 tournament. The 31-year old tweaker is not a rank turner of the ball, but can outfox the batters with his variations and change of pace. Chahal recently found his new IPL franchise in the form of Rajasthan Royals after he was bagged for a price of INR 6.50 crore in the mega auction. Chahal joined Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2014. He had been their leading spinner since then, picking up 139 wickets in 114 games at an economy rate of 7.59. Talking about his international figures, Chahal has 68 wickets in 54 T20Is and 104 wickets in 61 ODIs while playing for India. 17. Axar Patel Axar Patel. (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images) All rounder Axar Patel is another player on the list who would want to get on the flight to Australia. As compared to earlier, Axar is now a much-improved bowler and will look to show his mettle in whatever opportunity he gets at the top level. The Gujarat born left-arm spinner was also retained by his IPL franchise Delhi Capitals ahead of IPL 2022 and will look to perform well for them to ensure a ticket for the T20 WC squad. Axar can come as a like for like replacement for Ravindra Jadeja in the playing XI. Talking about his numbers, Axar has represented the men in blue in 15 T20 matches scalping 13 wickets and having an amazing economy of 6.7. With bat, he has scored 78 runs making them at an average of 19.5 in the shortest format of the game. 18. Venkatesh Iyer Venkatesh Iyer (Photo source: Twitter) Last but not the least in the list, Venkatesh Iyer can be considered as one of the finds of IPL. After his recent performance with the bat for his franchise Kolkata Knight Riders, Iyer made his T20I debut against New Zealand in a series conducted in November 2021. The left-handed batter has the ability to hit a long ball. Whether opening the innings or batting down the order, Iyer has shown that he can take pressure and hit lusty blows for his team. The 27-year-old can also bowl some medium pace which makes him another ideal candidate to be picked for the T20 WC. In his small career of matches while playing for India, Iyer has scored 133 runs with the bat at an impressive strike rate of 162.2. He has also scalped five wickets with the ball in the shortest format of the game.

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