ICC Champions Trophy: Possible Indian XI for their first match against South Africa

Indians have began their tournament in a splendid fashion, by crushing the Lankans and the defending champions Australia in the two warm-up matches that they have played. These two wins will help the confidence of the players and will also boost their self-confidence. Not only this, the two warm-up games has also exposed the form and fitness of the team members and has made the playing XI quite predictable.

Here goes the team, which according to me, could feature India in the first match of Champions Trophy and most probably, in all the matches that India has to play.

1. Shikhar Dhawan :- In spite of his inability to prove his worth as an opener in the warm-up games, he will feature in the playing XI, as there is no alternative to Dhawan in the team. The team wants Dhawan to get back to his form at any cost, because you can’t expect your middle-order to do the repair job and post a respectable score every time and in every match.
2. Murali Vijay :- Another opener who failed to prove himself in both the matches might get his place in the team due to the absence of any other alternative. He has to get back his form from the recently concluded Australia series.
3. Virat Kohli :- This No.3 batsman will have to get over his incapability to face swinging deliveries, as he will get these in plenty against the Proteas and the Pakistanis. He was brilliant with the bat in the first warm-up game against Sri Lanka, but failed against the Aussies, the team which had quality in their seam bowling department. He needs to score runs consistently for the team, to help his team lift the Champions Trophy.
4. Suresh Raina :- Leaving out the last match, Raina is also going through a good form. The ball is hitting the middle of his bat, which always gives a positive indication about the form of a batsman. He only needs to be patient and avoid playing reckless shots.
5. Dinesh Kartik :- It would be correct to say that he is the only man who has earned his place in the playing XI. He will enter into the tournament on the back of two match-winning centuries, and both coming at the time when the team was under pressure and needed someone to deliver. He has the capability of constructing his innings at a slow pace, and firing at the right time. He can also work as an extra-keeper, in case MS gets injured.
6. MS Dhoni :- The Captain Cool has become the saviour of team India. He, more often than not, comes in a pressure situation and guides his team either to victory or to a defend-able score. He needs to carry on his good form. It would be more correct to say, “Let the helicopter take off.”
7. Ravindra Jadeja :- He might get a nod ahead of Irfan, seeing his bowling and his batting form. Also, the Proteas are not as comfortable facing the spin bowlers as they are against the seamers. Well, his place in the team will depend on the nature of the track – if the track will assist the swing bowler, he might make way for Pathan in the team.
8. Bhuvneshwar Kumar :- He has failed to swing the bowl in both the warm-up matches, but yet he was economical with the ball, not giving away easy runs. India is seriously missing the wicket taking balls that Kumar bowled back home.
9. Umesh Yadav :- His marriage has taken his bowling to another level. He demolished the Australian batsmen in the last warm-up game, surprising them with the extra pace that he produced, claiming their five batsman. India will want the same performance from him in all the matches.
10. Ravi Ashwin :- He can trouble the batsmen with all sorts of variations that he can bring about in his deliveries.  He is also more than handy with the bat.
11. Amit Mishra :- According to me, Mishra could get a nod ahead of Ishant in the first match against Proteas and also against Windies, as Dhoni will look to expose their weakness against spinners. Mishra has got both the capabilty of taking wickets and also containing the opposition. Also, he is more than capable of balling in the death overs.

One might debate over the fact, that Rohit Sharma could get a chance in the team as a second opener, but seeing his form in the international arena, it looks tough unless Vijay or Dhawan fail to score run in the first encounter. The selection of Rohit in the team ahead of Yuvi was criticized by almost everyone, and once again he is proving his critics right. He has once again failed to show us the talent upon which he has been a regular in the team. He could have used the warm-up matches as the platform to cement his place in the top XI just like Kartik did.

The above team looks more than capable of lifting their first ever Champions Trophy.

Go India!!!! Bleed Blue!!!!