India Predicted Playing 11 vs Afghanistan for Match 43 of 2024 T20 World Cup
Team India are all set to kick off the Super 8 stage of the 2024 T20 World Cup with a high-octane clash against Afghanistan in Barbados on Thursday, June 20. The Men in Blue got through the group stage unscathed, with two wins followed by a washout.
India will play in the West Indies for the first time in the tournament so far and will thus ponder a change or two. Head coach Rahul Dravid confirmed in the pre-match press conference that the team management is considering bringing in a wrist-spinner.
India's squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup: Rohit Sharma (captain), Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.
Reserves: Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, Avesh Khan.
On that note, here is India's predicted playing XI for Match 43 of the 2024 T20 World Cup against Afghanistan.
Openers: Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli
Rohit Sharma played an important knock against Ireland but hasn't been able to carry that form forward. The Indian skipper is on the back of successive failures and needs to be at his best in the Super 8 stage.
Virat Kohli has fared even worse, with just five runs in three innings. The leading run-getter in T20 World Cup history will have another challenge in front of him in the form of Fazalhaq Farooqi.
Middle Order: Rishabh Pant (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel
India's middle order isn't expected to go through any changes despite the presence of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson on the bench.
Suryakumar Yadav essayed a crucial half-century against the United States of America, while Rishabh Pant has played a couple of important powerplay cameos. Shivam Dube hasn't hit his straps yet but got the chance to spend some time in the middle against the USA.
Hardik Pandya is one of the first names on the teamsheet in white-ball cricket. So is Ravindra Jadeja, although he hasn't had much of a role to play in the T20 World Cup so far.
Could India drop Jadeja for Kuldeep Yadav and go in bowling-heavy? It's possible, but unlikely. The Men in Blue might be inclined to drop a fast bowler to field an additional spinner instead, with Hardik in excellent bowling form.
Lower Order: Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh
Mohammed Siraj is the most expendable of India's frontline pace trio. Kuldeep could come in for him, putting more onus on Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh to handle duties in the powerplay and through the middle overs.