A left-handed option is a must in both the departments in a T20 squad. For a format that relies on narrow margins, variety is very important. In this article, we take a look at probable India’s T20 XI if the management had to play only left-handers.
Unlike in the past when left-handers were very few in the Indian Team, at the moment, there are a variety of options for the management. This has also helped the squad do well in many games.
Note: By left-handers, only players whose primary skill is left-handed are considered
Openers: Shikhar Dhawan and Devdutt Padikkal
Shikhar Dhawan is the left-handed opening option that Team India got after Gautam Gambhir moved away from the Indian Team. It was a necessary inclusion since during that transition period, India was lacking something in the top-order. At the moment, Dhawan is also one of the best limited-overs openers that India has.
On the other hand, Devdutt Padikkal is regarded as one of the future openers of the Indian Cricket Team. There are not too many left-handed openers in the domestic circuit who are performing as brilliantly as Devdutt. With Dhawan also nearing his final stages, Devdutt could soon take the step up.
Middle-Order: Ishan Kishan and Rishabh Pant (WK)
Ishan Kishan recently made his debut for Team India. He is a top performer in T20 cricket and is especially known for his fearless brand of approach. As things stand, he looks to be set for a position in the Indian Team that will play the T20 World Cup.
Rishabh Pant is not only a permanent feature in India’s T20 XI but across all the formats. The last year or so has been exceptional for the youngster. He is looking more composed now and this is a sign of great things to come for Team India.
All-Rounders: Ravindra Jadeja (C), Axar Patel and Krunal Pandya
The all-rounder’s department will feature three players, all of whom have the same attributes. They are also in competition with each other to bag a place in India’s T20 XI, although Ravindra Jadeja is miles ahead in this race. He also captains this squad for the experience he brings to the team. It is high time that Team India also brings him into the leadership group because like Kohli and Bumrah, he is also one of the all-format cricketers for Team India.
Bowlers: Chetan Sakariya, Jaydev Unadkat, Kuldeep Yadav and T Natarajan
After the retirement of Zaheer Khan, Team India has struggled to find a reliable left-arm pacer. The likes of Barinder Sran and K Khaleel Ahmed were in the picture but they did not show consistency. However, the scene now looks bright in this regard. T Natarajan is doing extremely well and will play a lot for Team India in the near future.
Youngsters such as Chetan Sakariya and Arshdeep Singh are also doing well. A veteran in the domestic circuit, Jaydev Unadkat deserves more opportunities with Team India. He will be the experienced pacer in this line-up. Kuldeep Yadav adds terrific variety with his left-arm wrist-spin. Hence, he also comes into this XI.
