ICC World Twenty20: India's Probable XI, Will Negi take the cake in Rahane-Pandey tussle?
The stage is set for a colossal battle between two powerhouses of T20 cricket, India and West Indies, in the semi-final of the ICC T20 World Cup 2016. A jam packed Wankhede Stadium is most likely to witness an enthralling encounter which promises to be filled a lot of action from start to finish.
Both teams have had largely contrasting campaigns in the tournament so far. West Indies eased their way into the semi-finals by winning their first 3 matches; however, they received a jolt in the form of an upset at the hands of Afghanistan. India, on the other hand, were embarrassed by New Zealand in their first game but recovered brilliantly to win the next 3 matches to reach the semis.
The Indian team received a major setback in the match against Australia when Yuvraj Singh suffered an injury and was ruled out for the remainder of the tournament. Although Manish Pandey is already included in the side as a replacement, the team management is still in a fix about who should take Yuvraj's place.
Here is our analysis on the probable XI that Team India may field today:
Rohit Sharma
The Indian opener is a certainty in the line-up for the semi-final against West Indies. Rohit Sharma has been India's go-to man in limited-overs cricket over the past year or so and the ongoing T20 World Cup has perhaps been the only blemish on his otherwise brilliant record of late.
Rohit will need to bring his A-game to the crease today with the bat and give Team India momentum early on in their innings.
Shikhar Dhawan
The team management is likely to stick with Shikhar Dhawan at the top of the order. Dhawan has been in poor form post his match-winning performance in the Asia Cup final against Bangladesh and averages just 10.75 in 4 matches he has played at the T20 World Cup so far.
However, his skipper's confidence has not been shaken despite his indifferent form and MS Dhoni will be hoping that the southpaw will come good in a big match.
Virat Kohli
At present, there is no Indian team which can be complete without the presence of Virat Kohli. He has been India's premier batsman across all formats and is only getting better with every innings that he plays. In the semi-final against West Indies, the team will be banking on him once again to produce the goods.
However, irrespective of how good a player he is, Kohli will be wary of his failure in the semi-final of last year's ODI World Cup and will want to make amends for it today.
Ajinkya Rahane
In the battle for the spot vacated by Yuvraj Singh in the Indian team following an injury, Ajinkya Rahane may be able to get the nod ahead of Manish Pandey and Pawan Negi. What works most in favour of Rahane is his experience and also his superior knowledge of the conditions at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, which is his home city.
Moreover, Pandey has only just joined the squad and cannot be thrown into a World Cup semi-final straightaway. As for Negi, his credentials as a batsman are still yet to be proven compared to a Rahane or a Pandey.
Suresh Raina
Suresh Raina is another Indian batsman who has struggled throughout the ICC T20 World Cup 2016. The left-hander has managed to score just 41 runs in 4 matches at a poor average of just over 10. Although he has contributed well on the field and has also bowled well, India need him to perform well with the bat.
Raina will be looking to capitalize on the flat deck that we have seen at the Wankhede so far and get his confidence as a batsman back on track.
MS Dhoni
A completely rejuvenated version of MS Dhoni has been on display in the T20 World Cup thus far, especially with the bat. Dhoni has shown the intent to get after the bowling right from the outset and even though he is not getting big scores, he ensures that he is batting till the end and finishing matches for India.
MSD's wicket-keeping skills have also been sharper than ever and he has also enhanced his 'Captain Cool' reputation with the way he has handled pressure situations.
Hardik Pandya
Hardik Pandya has not taken much time to settle into the Indian T20 line-up and is promising to become the seam-bowling all-rounder the country's cricket has sought for a long time. However, we have not seen much of Pandya the batsman in the T20 World Cup so far as he has played just 2 innings and scored 16 runs.
With the ball, though, he has been impressive and picked up 5 wickets despite receiving a bit of stick from the batsmen. Team India will be hoping for a good all-round showing from Hardik Pandya in the semi-final against West Indies.
Ravindra Jadeja
Over the past few years, Ravindra Jadeja has established himself as one of India's premier spinners across all formats. Although his batting prowess has been on the decline, Jadeja's bowling has only improved with time. The left-arm spinner has picked up 4 wickets in the T20 World Cup so far and has conceded his runs at a miserly economy of 5.86.
It will be a test for Ravindra Jadeja in the semi-final as the West Indian batsmen love to go after the bowling. He may also be required to contribute with the bat if West Indies give India a steep target to chase.
Ravichandran Ashwin
India's leading spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has not been at his best in the current edition of the T20 World Cup. He has picked up 4 wickets so far, but has been the most expensive among the core Indian bowlers, giving away his runs at an economy of over 7. However, India will be banking on him to play a crucial role with the ball in the semi-final.
Ashwin has had the edge over top West Indian batsman Chris Gayle in T20 cricket and the off-spinner will be looking to dismiss the southpaw early.
Ashish Nehra
Left-arm pacer Ashish Nehra has been one of MS Dhoni's key weapons with the ball and has managed to provide his skipper with an early breakthrough most of the time. Nehra has claimed 4 wickets in the tournament so far and has also kept it tight with an economy of under 6.
Ashish Nehra, who was a surprise pick in the squad for the T20 World Cup, has proved that age is not a barrier for him and will be looking to impose himself in the semi-final of the T20 World Cup.
Jasprit Bumrah
Young pacer Jasprit Bumrah has been quite a revelation with the ball ever since his inclusion in the Indian T20 team. The 22-year old has impressed one and all with his ability to restrict the batsmen during the death overs through some excellent yorkers.
The semi-final of the T20 World Cup, however, will be Bumrah's biggest test so far in his career and Team India will be expecting him to come out trumps.