India vs West Indies 2019: India's ideal XI for the first T20I
India are currently gearing up to face the West Indies in a T20I and ODI series. This will be Team India's last assignment before the culmination of 2019.
The West Indies tour of India will comprise three T20I matches and three ODIs. The tour commences on 6 December when Hyderabad hosts the first T20I of the three-match series.
After taking a much-needed break during the last T20I series against Bangladesh, Virat Kohli has returned to take up the reins of the team. The selectors have picked a full-strength squad for this series, with seasoned bowlers like Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammad Shami and Ravindra Jadeja making a comeback to the T20I side.
The team management will be looking to prepare for the upcoming T20 World Cup by finding the right combination of players. They will be hoping for some consistent performances from the middle order batsmen like Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer. Iyer has shown promise in the games he has played so far and will be looking to cement his position.
On that note, let us take a look at the ideal Indian XI for the first match.
Openers - Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul
India currently boast of one of the world's most devastating opening pairs in the form of Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul. Both of them have multiple T20I centuries to their names, and they have also put up multiple hundred-run opening partnerships for India in the past.
Rahul will be looking to cement his position by performing consistently in the series. Rohit will be looking to cap off the year with yet another successful series.
Middle Order - Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (wk), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja
Kohli's return will boost the middle order and allow the youngsters to play more freely around the skipper.
Iyer did well against Bangladesh at the No. 4 position, so the management might want to give him more chances there.
Pant will start the series as the team's primary wicketkeeper. He will bat at the No. 5 position. Sanju Samson meanwhile will have to wait on the bench before he gets a game.
All-rounders Shivam Dube and Ravindra Jadeja will round off the middle order. They will not only act as finishers in the line-up but will also give India six bowling options.
Manish Pandey will be preferred over one of the all-rounders if the team management is comfortable with playing just five bowlers.
Lower order - Washington Sundar, Deepak Chahar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal
After testing fringe bowlers like Khaleel Ahmed and Navdeep Saini in the recent T20I series, India have now brought back their senior bowlers. Bhuvneshwar Kumar will be making a comeback after a long injury layoff; he will lead the Indian bowling attack in this series.
Mohammad Shami has also made a comeback to the T20I squad on the back of stunning performances in Test and ODI cricket. However, he will likely have to wait for his chance in the XI as Deepak Chahar might get the nod ahead of him to partner Bhuvneshwar.
Washington Sundar and Yuzvendra Chahal will handle the spin department along with Jadeja. The West Indies batting order consists of a few left-handers like Shimron Hetmyer, Evin Lewis and Nicholas Pooran, so Sundar's off-spin could come in handy.
Ideal XI: Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli (c), Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (wk), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Deepak Chahar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal