The BCCI has already announced Team India’s squad for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup in Australia. While many thought the Indian squad will have the services of dynamic players like Jasprit Bumrah, an unforeseen back injury has since ruled him out of the tournament, forcing the selectors to look elsewhere.

India begins their 2022 T20 World Cup campaign on October 23 against arch-rivals Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). With injuries and opponents to consider, let’s take a look at what could be India’s probable starting lineup at the T20 World Cup.

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India’s batting lineup looks sorted as of now. The likes of Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav are all looking bright ahead of the World Cup. There is little doubt over what India’s top order will look like in the forthcoming T20 World Cup.

While KL Rahul started slowly, he is looking more confident by the day ahead of the tournament. It was visible in the second T20I against South Africa when he played an explosive knock of 57 runs off 28 balls, with a strike rate of 203.57.

While Rohit Sharma has looked underwhelming in patches, the Indian captain has also showcased his form regularly in recent months. However, while Virat Kohli’s form was the biggest concern for the Indian fans going into the World Cup, it is safe to say that it is no more, following a few explosive knocks.

Suryakumar Yadav has been arguably India’s best batter in the shortest format this year. He recently reached the second spot in the ICC T20 batting rankings and is holding the highest rank by an Indian currently.

The team selection will face an old problem in the Asia Cup, over whom to pick between Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik. Pant is the only left-handed batter in the team, whereas Karthik has been in impressive form since the IPL and played well as a finisher. However, considering Pant’s recent T20I performances, it is likely that Dinesh Karthik will be getting the nod.

Hardik Pandya is currently the numero uno all-rounder for the Indian team and has been rewarded as such in the IPL and on international stages. Pandya has been in terrific form in the second half of the ongoing year and would certainly be in the starting XI.

However, Ravindra Jadeja, who received an injury during the Asia Cup in August, which forced him to undergo surgery, has since been ruled out of the T20 World Cup. While Axar Patel is the like-to-like replacement for Jadeja, the quality of the two differs hugely.

The bowling department has been the reason for concern for Indian fans, especially in the death overs. With Jasprit Bumrah out, India also has their most lethal bowler ruled out of the tournament, which means an unchanged or similar bowling lineup to that of the South Africa T20Is could be fielded in the World Cup.

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This means that the fans are looking forward to watching a lineup of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel and Yuzvendra Chahal could be the first picks, depending on whether or not Mohammed Shami becomes Bumrah’s replacement.

India XI: Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Shami/Arshdeep Singh.