Picking the India XI for the New Zealand T20Is

The series begins, somewhat unbelievably, just three days after the Black Caps contested a T20 World Cup final, so they will either be well warmed up or entirely exhausted, and probably the latter.

India have taken the chance for some light experimentation, which leaves some room for debate. In Rahul Dravid’s first assignment as full time head coach, he’ll have four openers to choose from, with mainstays Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul, the former now permanent captain, joined by Ruturaj Gaikwad and Venkatesh Iyer. The other batters are Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer.

Axar Patel and Venkatesh are the two all-rounders, with three spinners and three quicks rounding out the squad. You can pick your India XI series in our team selector.

Yas Rana, Wisden.com head of content

Rohit Sharma
KL Rahul
Suryakumar Yadav
Ishan Kishan
Rishabh Pant
Shreyas Iyer
Axar Patel
R Ashwin
Deepak Chahar
Mohammed Siraj
Yuzvendra Chahal

A bizarrely balanced squad – where India have chosen five openers in a squad of 16 – leaves me with literally no other feasible options to bat between three and six. India have recalled Chahal having backed him for the majority of a T20 World Cup cycle only to dump him on the eve of the tournament – they missed the presence of an out-and-out wrist-spinner at the tournament so I’d like to see him back in the XI. I’m not convinced by the long-term potential of Venkatesh Iyer as an international level all-rounder who bats in the lower middle order, so Axar bats at seven in a spin-heavy side.

Changes for the next two games: Give Avesh Khan at least a game.

Ben Gardner, Wisden.com managing editor

Rohit Sharma
KL Rahul
Suryakumar Yadav
Ishan Kishan
Shreyas Iyer
Rishabh Pant
Axar Patel
R Ashwin
Harshal Patel
Avesh Khan
Mohammed Siraj

This is actually quite a tough team to pick, given the balance of the squad India have chosen. I’ve only gone for two of the four openers, and that’s where I’ve been boring. Rohit Sharma gets in because he’s captain, and KL Rahul because he’s just about India’s best T20 batter. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Venkatesh Iyer are promising, but will benefit purely from being around the squad, and while the latter could give some overs with the ball, he shouldn’t be relied on for four overs against a side that loves medium pace as much as New Zealand does.

That solid opening pair allows for some fun to be had elsewhere, although, apart from Rishabh Pant, it’s a little short of late-order firepower. Shreyas Iyer can perform the Steve Smith floating anchor role, coming in at No.4 in the event of an early crisis, or shifting down if it’s going well.

With the bowlers, Axar Patel is basically a must-pick with no other option at No.7, and R Ashwin edges out Bhuvneshwar Kumar for the No.8 slot. Aside from that, the three new quicks is the most fun choice, and therefore the right one. This is a series that shouldn’t be happening, that will almost certainly be forgotten as soon as it’s happened, at best a strange footnote after a strange World Cup. If it’s at least the moment a future star announced themselves, that would be something.

Changes for the next two games: If India are losing, recall the big guns. Bring in Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Yuzvendra Chahal. If India get a good start, then perhaps give one of those two other openers a go, and if the batting looks solid, risk switching out Ashwin for Deepak Chahar.

Aadya Sharma, Wisden India editor

Ishan Kishan
KL Rahul
Rohit Sharma
Suryakumar Yadav
Shreyas Iyer
Rishabh Pant
Axar Patel
R Ashwin
Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Deepak Chahar
Yuzvendra Chahal

With a year to go for the next World Cup, this is a good time to experiment a bit. Ideally, I would have wanted only one of SKY or Iyer, but there aren’t many lower-middle options (they could try Venkatesh in that role eventually).

Changes for the next two games: I’d like India to experiment though: start with Bhuvneshwar because he deserves one more chance, but also try out someone like Harshal or Avesh in the next two games to see where he stands in international cricket. I’d also want Gaikwad and Kishan to be tried out as openers in one of the games, just to get a feel of what the future looks like.

Sarah Waris, Wisden India staff writer

Rohit Sharma
KL Rahul
Ishan Kishan
Suryakumar Yadav
Shreyas Iyer
Rishabh Pant
Venkatesh Iyer
Axar Patel
Deepak Chahar
Mohammed Siraj
Yuzvendra Chahal

I have slotted in Ishan Kishan at three, because he is too good a talent to miss out, even if it’s not at his preferred opening spot. Venkatesh Iyer makes his T20I debut, though at No.7. He has batted with aggression at the top for KKR, and there is no reason to believe that he cannot be equally impressive as a finisher. The fact that he bowls medium pace could solve India’s lingering problem of finding Hardik Pandya’s replacement.

Axar Patel, with his left-arm spin bowling, pips R Ashwin despite the latter’s decent showing in the T20 World Cup. Yuzvendra Chahal should never have been dropped from India’s WC squad, and is a must-pick.

Changes for the next two games: In an ideal world, either Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul should rest for the last two games, irrespective of the outcome in the first match. In that case, Ruturaj Gaikwad opens with Kishan. Depending on how Venkatesh’s bowling goes, R Ashwin can be added into the XI, to play three spinners. If either quick is expensive, Avesh Khan pips Harshal Patel to make the side, according to me.