Xtra Time Web Desk: The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 is slated to begin on October 16 in Australia. Rohit Sharma and co will get ample opportunities to prepare themselves ahead of the marquee event. Judging by the performance and form guide in the ongoing IPL, if an Indian team is picked now for the T20 World Cup, who will get selected. Few players like captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant will automatically pick themselves in the 15-member squad irrespective of their form in IPL 2022. Xtra Time tries to select an Indian squad for the T20 World Cup based on the current form.
Openers: Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul & Virat Kohli
Irrespective of Rohit Sharma’s poor form in the ongoing IPL, he will still lead the side. In the 9 matches so far, Hitman scored 155 runs at an average of 17.22.
Assuming Virat Kohli will open the batting for India in T20 World Cup (opened the batting for RCB in last two IPL matches), he is another certainty in the side. Kohli is having a mediocre IPL season, compared to the high standards he has set. He has so far scored 186 runs from 10 games at an average of 20.86.
Shikhar Dhawan will be the third opener in the side. The left hander despite starting slowly in the ongoing IPL has scored 307 runs from 9 matches.
Middle order: KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma
Lucknow Super Giants captain KL Rahul has been in superb form in the IPL 2022 having scored 374 runs from 9 matches at an average of 53.43. He has also scored two hundreds so far.
Suryakumar Yadav has been the mainstay of Mumbai Indians batting in the ongoing IPL. The 360-degree batter has all the strokes and is an asset for any side. He has scored 290 runs so far in IPL 2022 from 7 matches.
Tilak Varma has been a revelation for Mumbai Indians. The teenage cricketer has impressed with his temperament and stroke play in ongoing IPL. He will give a tough fight to Shreyas Iyer but on current form he will be in the side. He has scored 307 runs from 9 matches at a healthy average of 43.86.
Wicket keepers: Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik
Rishabh Pant is an automatic choice in the side although the Delhi Capitals captain has not been in the best of form. The left hander has scored only 190 runs from 8 matches so far in IPL 2022
Dinesh Karthik has been in the form of his life in the ongoing IPL, finishing matches for RCB consistently. He has scored 218 runs from 10 matches at an average of 54.54. He scored the runs at a staggering strike rate of 194.64
All-rounders: Hardik Pandya
Gujarat Titans captain has been super impressive with his all-round ability. He had batted at No 3 spot and has also bowled in the powerplay. Only concern though is he got injured again in his right shoulder and have not bowled in last two matches in IPL 2022. He has scored 308 runs from 8 matches so far in IPL 2022.
Spinners: Yuzuvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav
Both Yuzuvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav has been in superb form in IPL 2022 season. The duo occupies the top two spots in wicket takers list so far with 19 and 17 wickets from 9 and 8 matches respectively.
Fast bowlers/medium pacers: Jasprit Bumrah, Umran Malik, T Natarajan, Arshdeep Singh
Umran Malik has been the find of IPL 2022 season. The pacer from Jammu & Kashmir has consistently clocked 150 kmph and possess a deadly yorker. The Sunrisers Hyderabad pacer has picked 15 wickets from 9 matches and is currently third in the list of wicket takers.
Jasprit Bumrah will automatically select himself in the squad being the vice-captain. He has been in hot and cold form in IPL 2022 season so far. The Mumbai Indians bowler has picked only 5 wickets so far in 9 matches
T Natarajan has looked good in the ongoing IPL and has regained his deadly yorkers. The left arm medium pacer from Tamil Nadu has picked 15 wickets from 8 matches for Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Arshdeep Singh is another bowler who has been impressive in the ongoing cash rich league. The Punjab Kings’ left arm seamer has been brilliant in death overs, although his wicket column does not reflect it. He has picked only 3 wickets so far from 9 matches in IPL 2022.
Here is the 15 member Indian squad for T20 World Cup on the basis of current form in IPL 2022:
Openers: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan
Middle order: KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma,
All-rounders: Hardik Pandya
Wicket-keepers: Rishabh Pant, Dinesh Karthik
Spinners: Yuzuvendra Chahal , Kuldeep Yadav
Fast bowlers: Jasprit Bumrah, Umran Malik, T Natarajan, Arshdeep Singh