Openers

Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma

Even as Samson’s place in the ODI team is uncertain after his axing from the Champions Trophy team, he seems to have cemented his place in the T20I side. Samson had a stellar 2024, making 436 runs in 12 innings at an average of 43.60 and a strike rate of 180.16. He also became the first Indian to score back-to-back T20I hundreds. He followed that with two consecutive ducks but ended the year with his third T20I ton, making 109* at Johannesburg.

The left-handed Sharma is a big stroke-maker in the powerplay, with a strike rate of 154.5 in 10 T20I innings. He has a strike rate of 160 across all T20s with five hundreds, which improves to 171.81 in international games. Sharma also has a hundred for India and his fearlessness sets up the momentum for the remaining batters.

Middle-order

Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Rinku Singh

One attacking batter follows another in the current Indian T20I side, making it arguably the most dangerous line-up in the world. Tilak, who also scored successive T20I hundreds against South Africa, followed the knock with an unbeaten 151 (67 balls) in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, the highest score in the competition’s history. He is also a handy bowler, which further adds another dimension to the side that are looking to fill their XI with batters who can bowl and vice versa.

Suryakumar, the captain, is arguably India’s best T20I batter, with a strike rate of 167.86 in 74 innings. He had a relatively quieter year in 2024, where he averaged 26.81 at a strike rate of 151.59, his lowest in any calendar year. It highlights just how consistently effective he has been.

Rinku, whose IPL finishing heroics earned him a place in the Indian team, has shown his ability to change his batting approach according to the situation. In Delhi, against Bangladesh, when India were 41-3 inside the powerplay, Rinku combined with Nitish Kumar Reddy to stitch together a 108-run stand. He was 17 in 11 at one stage before exploding and making 36 in the next 18 deliveries.

All-rounders

Hardik Pandya, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel

As good an all-rounder as any, Hardik can bowl with the new ball, in the middle and at the death. He is also dangerous with the bat - four of his last six 30-plus knocks came at a strike rate of more than 165. He also made 39* in 45 balls at Gqeberha, top-scoring for the side on a tricky wicket in a score of 124-6.

Reddy has emerged as India’s new batting sensation following his feats in Australia. Having already shown his T20 credentials in the IPL and then against Bangladesh, where his range was on full display against both quicks and the spinners, Reddy will be hopeful of carrying on.

Axar, the vice-captain in the side, edges ahead of Washington Sundar with his recent promotion indicating the team sees him as the first-choice spinning all-rounder. His batting improvement is what has seen him surge, with his 47 (31) at the T20 World Cup final at No.5 coming in a title-winning cause.

Bowlers

Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Shami, Varun Chakravarthy

The big news will be the return of Shami, who will play his first India game since the 2023 ODI World Cup final. The series will also serve as a fitness test for him as India look ahead for the Champions Trophy, where he will play a crucial role especially if Jasprit Bumrah fails to recover.

Arshdeep needs two more wickets to become the top wicket-taker for India in men’s T20Is. Having made his debut in 2022, Arshdeep has become a pivotal member of the XI, especially with the new ball.

Chakravarthy got a second lifeline in the format after unceremoniously being omitted for three years following the 2021 T20 World Cup. The spinner has ensured he made this opportunity count - since his comeback he has taken 17 wickets in seven games at an economy rate of 7.53. His 5-17 at Gqeberha nearly won India the low-scoring game before Tristan Stubbs saw South Africa through. With the Eden Gardens wicket not assisting the slower bowlers generally, Chakravarthy is expected be the lone specialist spinner in the side.

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