Predicting India's playing XI for the first ODI vs Bangladesh

Team India have named an almost full-strength side for the ODI series against Bangladesh. The likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul are back in the squad after being rested for the New Zealand tour.

However, players like Shreyas Iyer have done really well in the limited chances that they have got while the first-choice names were rested. This has given the team management a good headache to decide their XI for the first ODI on Sunday, December 4.

On that note, let's take a look at India's probable playing XI for the first ODI in Dhaka:

Openers: Rohit Sharma (c), Shikhar Dhawan

Powerplay batting strike-rates for Indians in ODIs since 2020 (min 100 balls)

KL Rahul: 63.7
Virat Kohli: 70.6
Shikhar Dhawan: 74.1
Shubman Gill: 90.3
Rohit Sharma: 94.3
Prithvi Shaw: 116.7

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Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan have together arguably formed one of the most prolific opening partnerships in the ODIs over the past decade. The duo complement each other really well and the right-hand-left-hand combination would suit the Men in Blue nicely too.

The Indian captain has been under the scanner after an embarrassing defeat at the hands of England in the T20 World Cup semifinals. Rohit has also not been in the greatest of forms of late and with the strike rate being an intriguing talking point about Dhawan, it will be interesting to see who takes the role of the aggressor.

Middle order: Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), KL Rahul

KL Rahul - Rishabh Pant partnership :

• Matches - 12
• Runs - 596
• Highest - 204
• Avg - 49.66
• 100s/50s - 3

Underrated duo!

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Virat Kohli will be itching to get on to the field in probably his best format as a batter. Arguably the greatest ODI batter of the modern era, Kohli must be hopeful that his incredible form in T20Is will help him score big in the one-day format as well.

Shreyas Iyer has been in incredible form, having scored five half-centuries in his last nine ODI innings. However, with the turnaround time between the end of the New Zealand series and the beginning of the Bangladesh series being very short, he might be rested for the first ODI.

That might mean that both Pant and vice-captain KL Rahul will take the middle-order spots. Both the batters have been inconsistent of late and with the likes of Iyer and Sanju Samson around, they will be keen to make the most of the opportunities.

All-rounders: Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Shahbaz Ahmed, Shardul Thakur

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Bangladesh often have tracks that assist the spinners a lot, even in white-ball cricket. This might tempt Team India to play all three of their spinning all-rounders in Washington Sundar, Axar Patel and Shahbaz Ahmed.

Sundar and Axar have already shown that they are capable of delivering fine performances with the bat too. Shahbaz will also be hopeful of getting an opportunity to prove his mettle.

Shardul Thakur didn't have a great series against New Zealand. But given the fact that he has the knack of picking up wickets, India might bring him back into the XI for the first ODI.

Bowlers: Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj

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Two of the most impressive white-ball bowlers for India this year, Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj may get the nod ahead of the uncapped Kuldeep Sen. Shami showed great control in the T20 World Cup and proved that he is not just a Test specialist.

Siraj has been India's best fast bowler in ODIs this year, and will want to continue his fine form. He also did well in the T20Is against New Zealand and that would have further boosted his confidence.