India play South Africa for three T20Is from September 28, with a number of selection headaches ahead of the series for them to answer.

Have India found their five bowlers? Do they know who their best top six are, and in which order they should play? Shall they pick Rishabh Pant or Dinesh Karthik – or both? They will probably play a lone spinner in the T20 World Cup in Australia, but will they stick to that strategy here as well or add a second spinner?

Wisden India’s writers pick the best XI for the series against South Africa.

India’s squad for South Africa T20Is: Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul (vc), Dinesh Karthik (wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Virat Kohli, Arshdeep Singh, Axar Patel, Harshal Patel, Suryakumar Yadav, Umesh Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Shahbaz Ahmed, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah.

Abhishek Mukherjee, Wisden India head of content

Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Axar Patel, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Harshal Patel, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh

The Indian team management seems to have decided on Rohit, Rahul, Kohli, and Suryakumar for the top four, and Karthik at six. With no Bhuvneshwar Kumar around, Bumrah, Harshal, and Arshdeep – India’s other three fast bowlers in their squad for the T20 World Cup – are likely to play. After a stupendous series against Australia, Axar Patel will probably join them as the lone spinner.

That leaves one spot, at No.5, with no particular replacement for Hardik Pandya. Axar might have impressed against Australia with the ball, but his batting has not been tested yet. As these are India’s last T20Is before the World Cup, why not throw him into the deep water? If the batting seems weak and vulnerable, picking Ashwin – due for a game as well – ahead of Chahal might provide some cushion.

Of course, there is the risk of a collapse, but there may not be another time before the big tournament to test the batting under pressure.

Aadya Sharma, Wisden India editor

Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Dinesh Karthik, Axar Patel, Harshal Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh

A good chance for India to experiment, but I’d take the safer route and try and get as close to their first-choice XI. Rohit and Rahul open – the latter’s approach remains a big concern, but it is probably also the time to stick with him.

Between Suryakumar and Karthik, a spot opens up for Pant in Pandya’s absence – he may break India’s right-handed dominance in the top six – but it is also a final chance to challenge that spot.

Further down, Axar has as good as moved into ‘must-have’ category. Arshdeep’s return brings in a bit of missing left-arm spice, and hopefully some death-over relief. In Bhuvneshwar’s absence, Harshal gets some more time for course-correction after a couple of expensive outings against Australia. The Indian conditions probably demand an extra spinner, which may not be the case in Australia. In that case, Chahal would be itching to make the most of his chances.

Sarah Waris, Wisden India staff writer

Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Dinesh Karthik, Axar Patel, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah

The top four is settled, but the absence of Pandya throws up a debate: will it be Pant, who is in the T20 World Cup squad, or Iyer, chosen as a standby for the event? I have gone ahead with the latter. The camp has hinted that Pant is not in the first-choice XI, and if Hooda remains unfit for the T20 World Cup, they would want Iyer to have some match practice behind him.

I have picked both Harshal and Arshdeep in the XI. There is expected to be place for only one of the two in the T20 World Cup, and playing them together should make things clearer. Ashwin gets a chance ahead of the inconsistent Chahal as India look to settle in on their best XI.

Shashwat Kumar, Wisden India staff writer

Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Dinesh Karthik, Axar Patel, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal

The batting line-up effectively selects itself, with Pandya resting and Hooda ruled out due to injury. Pant is the only batter in the squad who can fill that void and hence should get a game.

On the bowling front, Harshal has had his chance and has failed to grab it. In Bhuvneshwar’s absence, Chahar is a like-for-like replacement. With Chahar in the mix, India do not have to worry about their batting depth either, thereby making it easier to replace Harshal with Arshdeep, anyway a better fit for this bowling attack, in my opinion.

Chahal has not set the world alight lately but with Axar also being a finger spinner, his variety could come in handy.