India lost the third T20I against England on Tuesday are trailing in the series 2-1. The next two games thus becomes must-win for the Virat Kohli-led team if they are to win the series. We thus get down to analysing India’s predicted XI for the next T20I. In both the games that India have lost, they have been completely outplayed by the visitors who are currently the top-ranked T20I team in ICC rankings. India’s batting bowling and fielding let them down in the last game and it needs to be improved by leaps and bounds if they are to win the next two games.
Team India have a problem of plenty given the squad that they have chosen for the T20I series. The BCCI announced a young squad and included players who performed well in the domestic circuit and the IPL over the last two years. Another problem is that India’s is not being able to rotate their players well in their quest to give chance to all their players. The exclusion of Suryakumar Yadav in the third T20I without even ging him an opportunity to bat gives us an indication that Team India is unsure about choosing their best XI for the games.
Having lost the third game, the challenge is even bigger in front of Team India to choose the best XI who can perform and win the last two games for the side. Ideally, they should go in with their strongest XI for the last two games.
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India’s Predicted Playing XI For 4th T20I vs England
Rohit Sharma
Despite his failure in the last game, Rohit Sharma should hold his place in the XI. Rohit and Kohli are among the two senior players in the side with the most runs in the format. Rohit will need to step up after failing in the third game. He is fresh after having rested for the first two games after scoring the bulk of India’s runs in the Test series. An important innings beckons from Rohit’s bat in the next game.
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Shikhar Dhawan
The left-hander should come back into the XI now with KL Rahul having failed to score in all three games. Despite Kohli giving him all the backing, Rahul looks out of touch after having spent a long time on the sidelines despite being a part of the team. Dhawan in the past had scored runs just when he was thought to be out of knick. He played a rash shot to get out in the first game. Despite that, the Rohit-Dhawan combination should be trusted to score the runs in the last two games.
Virat Kohli
Kohli’s return to form is a welcome news for the team. He will need to keep doing what he has done in the last two games. He should anchor the innings with the other players playing around him. He went past 3000 T20I runs in the second T20I becoming the only Indian batsmen to do so as of now.
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Suryakumar Yadav
The Mumbai batsman was dropped from the playing XI without even getting a bat in his debut game. Suryakumar can be included for the last two games as a part of India’s rotation policy. He can replace Ishan Kishan in the line-up. He can either bat at number five or six with Hardik Pandya batting at number seven.
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Rishabh Pant
Pant lost his wicket in a mix-up with his skipper.Had he played a little longer India could have reached 180. India fell well short of where they wanted to be after Pant fell. He being a left-hander in the middle-order is always a good option. Pant can play with the attacking approach that he is known for in recent times.
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Shreyas Iyer
Iyer top-scored in the first game and showed his maturity. After doing his bit in the second, he did not bat in the third. However, Iyer has been India’s answer to their number four conundrum in the last two years, WIth Pant batting at his position, Iyer has settled down well at number five or six. Hw would look to contribute with the bat if he gets his chance.
Hardik Pandya
Pandya now bowling has been a great asset for the team. HIm contributing in both departments gives Indian an extra option for a batsman or a bowler in given conditions. He added a crucial 70-run stand with his captain and went for 22 off his three overs. He will continue to feature in the Indian playing XI.
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Washington Sundar
Sundar is more used for his bowling inside the powerplay in the Indian T20I squad. He has picked the wickets of Jason Roy and Dawid Malan in the series so far and has done a pretty good job inside the powerplay. India should persist with him in the playing XI for the next game.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Bhuvi has made a return to the Indian T20I squad after an injury layoff. He is the most experienced bowler in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami in the line-up. With his ability to swing the ball, he should keep his place in the side. However, the team will need him to better his performance in the next two games if India are to win the series.
Navdeep Saini
With the Indian bowling line-up lacking in raw pace compared to England, Navdeep Saini can replace Shardul Thakur in the line-up and can inject that serious pace. He can bowl well at the start and in the death. His pace can be used to unsettle the English batsmen. he can be India’s answer to dismissing Jos Buttler early.
Rahul Chahar
With Yuzvendra Chahal proving to be expensive in the first three games, India can include Chahar who will be a like for like replacement in the Indian XI. A leg spinner, Chahar has risen through the ranks in IPL cricket with Mumbai Indians. His inclusion can be India’s process of experiment ahead of the World T20 later this year.