IND v AUS 2019: COC Predicted Team India Playing XI for the first T20I

The first T20I at Vizag will be played on February 24.

The first T20I of the two-match series between India and Australia will be played at Visakhapatnam. This series comes after India lost to New Zealand 2-1 in the T20I series while tying with Australia in Australia 1-1 in T20Is.  

The Indian team has a handful of international matches before the start of ICC World Cup 2019 in England and Wales. The two T20Is and five ODIs against Australia is the last opportunity for the Indian team to finalize their squad for the mega ICC event. Team COC, therefore presents the predicted Team India XI for the first T20I at Vizag.

Since BCCI has decided to rotate its players keeping their workloads in mind, it will be interesting to see who gets rest for the first T20I. Rohit Sharma has been in good form in the T20Is and his partner Dhawan has struggled to get some runs against New Zealand.

This provides a good chance for the team management to give Rishabh Pant a go at the top of the order, given that he loves to hit in the air and him playing in the powerplay will be the best opportunity for him to attack the bowlers from the start.

Virat Kohli returns to the team and will take his place at no.3, while Vijay Shankar, who showed promise in New Zealand, might be asked to bat at no.4 spot. MS Dhoni and Dinesh Karthik are expected to bat at no. 5 and no.6 in the batting order and provide the finishing abilities in the last few overs. Krunal Pandya is expected to play the role of the all-rounder in the team.

The fact that the Indian team is playing in their own backyard, the management might think of going in for two specialist spinners as well. The options for the team are two leg-spinners in Yuzvendra Chahal and Mayank Markande. While Chahal has been an integral part of the Indian team in limited overs format, Markande has received his first ever call up to the Indian team and will provide support to the more senior spinning duo.

The quick bowling duties might be shared by Jasprit Bumrah, who got a well-deserved rest after the taxing Australia Test series and Umesh Yadav, who has earned a deserving call back into the team, as Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been rested for the T20I series.

COC Predicted Team India Playing XI for the first T20I:
Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, Virat Kohli (C), Vijay Shankar, MS Dhoni (WK), Dinesh Karthik, Krunal Pandya, Mayank Markande, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal