India’s batting will heavily rely on skipper Sharma, who will have KL Rahul for company at the top. Having lost his first match as captain, Sharma’s record double hundred led a 141-run rout in Mohali and he will look to continue that form in the shortest format. Rohit at the top of the order and Hardik Pandya and MS Dhoni in middle overs forms a destructive combination in shortest format.
Saurashtra left-arm pacer Jaydev Unadkat, who last played in a T20I against Zimbabwe in June last year, has been recalled and India have three first-timers in Washington Sundar, Basil Thampi and Deepak Hooda. Baroda all-rounder Hooda had scored the fourth fastest Twenty20 century (108) by an Indian during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in February.
In the pace department, death bowling specialist Jasprit Bumrah will shoulder the responsibility after Bhuvneshwar Kumar was rested. Kerala pacer Thampi has shown his ability to bowl yorkers
Probable XI
Rohit Sharma (Capt.)
KL Rahul
Shreyas Iyer
Manish Pandey
Dinesh Karthik
MS Dhoni (WK)
Hardik Pandya
Yuzuvendra Chahal
Kuldeep Yadav
Jasprit Bumrah
Basil Thampi
