Indian limited over skipper MS Dhoni feel the current Indian team combination is perfect for the ICC World T20 2016 in India. India whitewashed Australia in a three-match series. The batting department has shown super consistency in the ODI series as well as in the T20 series. Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma have given India a good start though out the series while Virat Kohli shepherds the innings. Dhawan without any fear blasted Australian bowlers and scored a quick fire half century that provided India a good platform that helps other batsmen around him. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have the ability to build a long-standing partnership that anchors the innings.
The area of concern for India was bowling department which was also solved with the arrival of youngster Jasprit Bumrah, who bowled superb spells in the T20 series, look India’s ineffective bowling attack has changed. At the same time, the old warrior Ashish Nehra and performance of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja have restricted opponent batsmen.
With the World T20 is just one month way the Indian squad for the 16 team tournament will soon be announced by the BCCI selectors.
Here is the perfect 15 for the World T20.
Shikhar Dhawan
This left-handed batsman was out of form since the home series against South Africa. But, in Australia, he made a superb comeback. The decision of Indian management to continue with Dhawan proved fruitful as the batsman paid back the confidence kept on him. In the Melbourne ODI, he scribbled 68 run innings. But, that slow inning helped Dhawan back in his mojo. In the next match, he hit a brilliant 126 and followed by 78 in Sydney. In the T20 series, his fearsome form continued he did not play a big innings, but he gave a good start to India that helped middle order to feast on it.
Rohit Sharma
The hit man is the big hitter of the ball. He played the mind of bowlers. He does not care about the bowlers. All he knows is middle the ball sends it for big six. He has earned an ability to play long innings. He in the ODI series, as well as T20 series, played equally good innings. In the ODI series, he hit two consecutive hundred and missed the third one by one run at SCG. He scored 441 runs and was adjudged man of the series. In the T20 series, he scored 143 with two half centuries.
Virat Kohli
He can tell you how many centuries he will score in a series. Wasim Akram asked him that was he upset to miss his hundred nine runs in the first ODI at WACA, Perth. Virat replied that he would score two hundred in the ODI series and he did. He tormented a below per level Australian bowling attack. In the T20 series, he bruised Shaun Tait and co and has won the man of the series award for scoring 199. He scored three consecutive half-centuries in the T20 series and helped India to post a big total. His partnership with Rohit Sharma has become a nightmare to bowlers.
Suresh Raina
He was dropped from the ODI side for his off form in the South Africa series. But as he gets the opportunity to bat, he fired. In the first T20 at Adelaide, he scored 41 off 34 balls and in the in Sydney T20 he played 25 balls 49 run innings while chasing 198. His Sydney innings proved that he could be a dangerous batsman in the World T20 at home. Alongside his batting, he is also a terrific fiddler at cover. He will play an all-around role to make this World T20 memorable.
Yuvraj Singh
This warrior was dropped from the team after his miserable failure in 2014 World T20 final. But, he made a comeback in the T20 side just before the World T20 2016 producing some of the extraordinary innings in Vijay Hazare Trophy. He in the first two match did not get the opportunity to bat as India’s top order have done the job. But in the final T20, he proved his worth. It will not be an exaggeration that Yuvraj is now an old wine. In the first two match, he took the wicket of Glenn Maxwell and in the final T20 when India need 17 runs from the last over he hits back to back four and six that turned the match in India’s favour. He received accolades for his boundaries at the crucial time. Captain MS Dhoni said, “Yuvraj can just go and express himself batting at No 5. There will be less pressure on him and as he plays more and more games he will just open up more.”
MS Dhoni (c) and (wk)
He was ripped apart for failing to finish the innings in ODI series in which India lost the series 4-1. But, he is not finished. He can hit the ball hard for six. When he comes to bat only a few overs were left. So, he failed to do much. In the Melbourne ODI, he scored 9 balls 23 and in the Sydney ODI he scored 34. His first ball six of the last over helped India to chase 331 with two balls to spare.
In the T20 series, he got a few balls and batted with a strike rate of 200. The highlight of his performance was stumping of Glenn Maxwell on the delivery of Yuvraj Singh. He stumps out Maxwell in 0.1 seconds that proved that his reflecting is still sharp.
Hardik Pandya
Indians know he can hit the ball Hard and score quickly. But in the T20 series in Australia his batting did not come as top order did exclusively well. But, he bowled seven overs. He was battered by the Australian batsmen. But, in the first match, he showed good temperament after conceding 19 run from the first over bounced back in the second over as took two wickets in two consecutive deliveries. He is 24-year-old. He needs time to show his potential in international cricket. He is also a superb fielder. In the final T20 at Sydney, he saved a six hit by Shane Watson jumping in the air which was sensational.
Ravindra Jadeja
He also made a comeback in the rainbow jersey after being dropped from the limited over cricket since the World Cup Down Under. He bowled well in ODIs and in T20Is, he took wickets at a crucial juncture of the match. Selectors have recycled him in limited over the team after his outstanding performance against South Africa. As the World T20 will be held in India his arm ball will be handy for captain Dhoni.
Ravichandran Ashwin
Ashwin has dropped the ODI XI after battered by Australian batsmen. But in the T20 matches, he bounced back as he took four wickets conceding 91 runs in three matches. He tormented South Africa in the Test series at home. Now as the World T20 will be held in India will be dangerous to handle for any overseas batsman.
Jasprit Bumrah
Captain MS Dhoni termed him as the find of the Australia tour. His unusual bowling action troubled the Aussies. In his international debut at SCG, he took two wickets conceding 40 runs. This 22-year-old also bowled well in T20 series. He has the ability to bowled well even after get battered. He in the first match bowled the last over and conceded only three runs. He is also a good bowler of Yorker. But, he can’t bowl outswinger due to his action.
Ashish Nehra
This veteran bowler recalled for the Australia series after five years. He has an impressive performance for Chennai Super Kings in IPL because of that he got the call. He bowled well in the T20 series as well. He is 36, but he can still bowl 140 kmp/h. In a high scoring series, he conceded 96 runs and took two wickets. His use of popping crease and outswinger will be instrumental to Dhoni.
Meanwhile, as backup spinner Harbhajan Singh will be in the team. His off-spinner will be useful at the subcontinent pitch. Medium pacer Irfan Pathan, who performed remarkably well in the Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy with both bat and ball will be in the World T20 squad. Meanwhile, Manish Pandey and Ajinkya Rahane will be in the squad as back-up for the middle order.
India’s possible 15 men WT20 squad: Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni (c ) (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Ashish Nehra, Ajinkya Rahane, Harbhajan Singh, Manish Pandey, Irfan Pathan