T20 World Cup 2022 India squad probables

The Indian team management and selectors will face a litmus test after the Asia Cup as they prepare for the T20 World Cup in Australia that starts in October. With places up for grabs after IPL 2022 season, Rahul Dravid has tested several players at various positions. With the showpiece event soon approaching, it remains to be seen who makes the cut for the final squad.

India’s T20 World Cup 2022 squad probables

Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Deepak Hooda, Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, Mohammed Shami

*Jasprit Bumrah in place of Shami (if passed fit)

Standby Players – Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, Deepak Chahar

Openers

With KL Rahul facing timeout due to injury, Rahul Dravid has plenty of opportunities to test the depth of his team. He got the likes of Sanju Samson, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan, Rishabh Pant and most recently Suryakumar Yadav in the opener’s position.

However, the Indian team will look to use the KL Rahul as the first choice opener alongside Rohit Sharma. Ishan Kishan who acquired Rs 15 crore in IPL auctions is likely to miss out along with Gaikwad and Samson. Suryakumar will make the team but only as a middle-order batter.

Batters/All-Rounders

At this moment of time, Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav and Rishabh Pant walk into the team as they have proven track record. Virat Kohli who makes the Indian team, no matter what happens, will fill the middle-order and all-rounder category.

An injury to either first-choice options will see the likes of Deepak Hooda, Dinesh Karthik fill the void. Karthik specially will be a good back-up option who keeps both wickets and plays the role of pitch-hitter. If given opportunity, India could slot in the likes of Sanju Samson and Shreyas Iyer.

Bowlers

One of the most debatable points in the team, India dropped Mohammed Shami for the Asia Cup 2022 but could be back in the team. Jasprit Bumrah is nursing an injury and will be interesting whether he makes the squad or not. at the moment the likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh and Avesh Khan look guaranteed to board the plane to Australia.

In the spin department India opted to bring back Ravichandran Ashwin for West Indies series and have given competition to Yuzvendra Chahal. The likes of Axar Patel and Ashwin are the front-runners for the second choice spinner while Ravindra Jadeja’s inclusion also remains a point of debate.