From July 1, India will play a five-T20I series against England: here is their likeliest XI for the first of these.
India squad for England T20Is
Shreyas Iyer (c), Tilak Varma (vc), Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Suryansh Shedge, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, Prince Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Varun Chakaravarthy.
Will Vaibhav Sooryavanshi start the series?
After his multiple record-breaking IPL, there was massive anticipation around 15-year-old Sooryavanshi’s potential international debut in one of the two T20Is in Ireland. He has been part of the news cycle since he was named in the squad. However, India backed their tried-and-tested opening pair of Abhishek and Samson, both of whom are coming off excellent IPL outings as well.
Under normal circumstances, a two-time running world champion does not change its opening pair, both of whom are exceptional batters in the format. But so obvious is Sooryavanshi’s talent, so incredible his showing in the IPL and for India U19 and then India A that there have been demands of his selection. And the voices have become only louder after he was omitted and Ireland blanked India 2-0.
While there is no doubt that Sooryavanshi will play for India at some point, it is also extremely important to time his debut. Will he start the England series? “He’s absolutely ready to play international cricket, there’s no doubt about that," batting coach Ryan ten Doeschate had assured at the post-series press conference, while adding “but also I think it’s not a question to say you can leave Sanju Samson out ... a guy who went a long way to winning India the World Cup three months ago, a guy who’s had a fairly good IPL.”
Ten Doeschate added: “We want to give guys a long run in the team, so, you know, as ready as Vaibhav is and as excited as we are and you are to see him play, he’s going to have to go through the same process as everyone else and, you know, bide his time and wait. But certainly no questions about how good he is and how ready he is.”
All that probably hint at Sooryavanshi not starting the series against England. In that case, India have every reason to retain their six batters – Samson, Abhishek, Kishan, Iyer, Tilak, and Dube.
Will India change their playing XI at all?
Unless there are injuries, Axar, Arshdeep, and Rana are set to retain their spots. With Hardik Pandya and his replacement Nitish Kumar Reddy both injured, India are likely to back Shedge.
With Pandya and Reddy both being prone to injuries, it is important for India the supply chain of seam-bowler-and-power-hitter ready. A better bowler than Dube and a more potent hitter than Rana, Shedge is perhaps the best equipped to become the third in line in that role.
That leaves the 11th role, of the other specialist bowler. Prince Yadav had an impressive debut, but if the conditions in Chester-le-Street offer something for the spinners, Varun may replace him. In that case, it will be India’s only change to the XI.
Predicted Indian XI for first T20I against England
Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer (c), Tilak Varma (vc), Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, Suryansh Shedge, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav.
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