Team India is on a roll. After reaching the finals of the World Test Championship, they are aiming for a series victory in the shortest format of the game. Well, the Indian team might get stiff competition from the Englishmen. This is mainly because of the options captain Morgan has. Adding on, the English players have benefitted from the IPL as they have performed exceptionally well.

IPL has been spot on when it came to providing an opportunity to the youngsters. This has not only helped the Indian players, but also the overseas ones. Players like the Curran brothers, Jofra Archer, and many more have been the kernel of their respective teams. And hence, this makes England a strong squad in the limited-overs format.

But, the Indian team does not fall short of options. Currently, Team India has the strongest lineup when it comes to the limited-overs format. The competition has increased so much that even players like Kuldeep Yadav and KL Rahul are warming the benches for the team in test cricket. Talk about, T20Is, there is more tension.

Let us have a look at 5 selection headaches for Virat Kohli in the T20I series

5. Who will open with Rohit, KL Rahul, or Shikhar Dhawan?

The opening spot is one of the most important slots when it comes to the shorter formats of the game. Openers have to take the initiative to attack from the word go and anchor the inning. But, this time, team India has three openers in their squad. Well, these three are talented enough to play long and quick innings, but it looks like Kohli has a tough decision to make. 

Rohit Sharma is the first-choice opener for the team. His ability to play quickfire innings can not be neglected by any means. Therefore, he will open for India. But, the main issue is with who will open with him. There are two names in the squad, KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan.

Dhawan was in good form during the last IPL season. Recently, he became the only batsman to score consecutive hundreds in IPL. Adding on, he has a decent strike rate of 128.29 in T20Is. But, in this case, Rahul has the upper hand. This is mainly because he has a strike rate of 144.92. And with the world cup coming up, captain Kohli might go with Rahul as the opener. 

4. Ishan Kishan or Suryakumar Yadav

The IPL has provided team India with so many talents who became international superstars. Talk about Bumrah or Pandya, they have won matches for the team single-handedly. Adding on, this time, we have two bright talents in the form of Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav. They have made it to the squad for the first time and might become a great asset for the team.

But, there is a possibility that only one of them gets a game. This is because the Indian top-order is filled with great talents who have not failed yet. Therefore, Kohli might have to pick up either one of them. However, if India wins the first three of two matches, both of them might get a chance to play together if someone from the regular squad is rested. 

Ishan Kishan is a bright talent for the team. Last year, in the IPL, he was in the form of his life as he scored 516 runs with an average of 57.33. Talking about Suryakumar Yadav, he has been in stellar form too, he has been Mr. Consistent since the 2018 season and has scored more than 400 runs in every IPL since then. 

3. Should Rahul Tewatia be included in the squad?

Rahul Tewatia was struggling during a match against the PBKS last year. He was mistiming every ball and was building up pressure for his team. Everybody had thought that the game was over for the Royals, but Rahul had other ideas. He single-handedly destroyed Sheldon Cottrell.

Sheldon went for five sixes in an over. That overturned the match in the Royals’ favor and Rahul became a superstar within a matter of 10 minutes. This was his impact during the 2020 season of the IPL. Since then, he performed decently for his team and has impressed the selectors.

Adding on, his performances in the domestic league have enabled him to make it to the squad. Rahul is a handy batsman as he strikes with a strike rate of 139.34. Apart from that, he bowls with an excellent economy rate of 7.13 in IPL. Therefore, he is a handy player. But, it is a tough decision for Kohli whether he should include Rahul in the squad. 

2. Shreyas Iyer’s selection in the team

Shreyas Iyer has been a great performer in domestic cricket. His ability to play sensibly had attracted the attention of major critics. In the 21 ODIs he has played, Iyer has an average of 44.83. Talking about the T20Is, he has a decent average of 26.81. This means that he contributes in every match he plays.

In the toughest T20 format, the IPL, Iyer has an average of 31.43. And a strike rate of 126.07 means that he usually anchors the innings. In 79 IPL matches, he has scored 2200 runs and he is a consistent performer in the league. But, the rise of Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav has given a good headache for Virat Kohli.

This is mainly because the current form of Kishan and Yadav is nothing short of exceptional. Both the batsmen can play quick and long innings. Talking about Iyer, he cannot tee-off from the word go. And if Ishan and Yadav are competing for a single spot, Iyer’s chances to get into the playing eleven are slim.

1. Should Rishabh Pant be included in the squad?

Rishabh Pant is another alumnus from the Under-19 team who has been the talk of the town recently. Within 20 Test matches, he has experienced every scenario a cricketer undergoes. He was praised, criticized, dropped, and later on, included in the squad. Because of Pant, Team India was able to make a comeback in the series against Australia. 

Pant can tear apart any bowling attack. And he has grown as a cricketer. In 68 IPL matches, Pant has a strike rate of 151.97. Well, if you remember his 128 against the Sunrisers, you have a great idea about how he can destroy a bowler. Recently, he dared to reverse sweep, Jimmy Anderson, off the new ball. 

Apart from that, his wicketkeeping has improved drastically. Pant’s game has improved so much that he has returned to the national squad. This brings up another discussion on the table. Should Kohli include Pant in the squad? If yes, then who should guard the wickets? Well, let us see what happens.