IRE vs IND 2018, 1st T20I: Five Players to Watch Out For

India will begin its United Kingdom tour with a T20I match against Ireland on Wednesday.

Virat Kohli-led team will like to hit the ground running before their pivotal tour of England.

On the other hand, Ireland will like to provide good competition to the tourists. The Irish team has won a solitary match in the last four games.

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Meanwhile, both the teams have some skillful players on their team who can change the complexion of the match. In fact, the team will rely on these players to provide them with solidarity.

Let’s take a look at the five players to watch out for in the first 1st T20I.

Paul Stirling

Paul Stirling is in fine form for the Irish team. The right-hander has scored two half-centuries in the last two T20I. Thus, the Ireland opener is in good form. Ireland will hope their opener provides them good start at the top of the order.

Stirling will like to play cautiously to the Indian fast bowlers, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah in the initial phase.

Paul has scored 1151 runs in the 48 T20I matches at a strike rate of 137.02. The right-hander will like to carry on with his form.

Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma can demolish any bowling attack on his day. The Indian limited-overs deputy didn’t have the best of IPL season. Thus, the right-hander will like to get back into form.

Sharma can score his runs at a brisk pace. The Indian opener will aim to give good starts to his team. Rohit can be difficult to contain if he gets going. Thus, the Irish bowlers will like to get rid of him in the initial stages of the match.

Meanwhile, Rohit will like to get acclimatized to the conditions before the imperative England tour. Thus, it would be a good opportunity for the flamboyant batsman to get some runs under his belt.

Gary Wilson

Gary Wilson will provide the solidarity in the middle order to the Ireland batting line-up. Wilson had scored a fine half-century against Scotland recently, and he would like to repeat his performance against the Indian juggernauts.

Furthermore, Wilson will like to lead from the front. However, the right-handed batsman scores his runs at a strike rate of 106.48. Thus, the Ireland T20I skipper will like to improve his strike rate.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Bhuvneshwar Kumar will be licking his lips, as the Irish conditions will welcome him with extra swing. The Indian pack leader has provided great starts for his team, and thus he would like to keep his good show going.

Furthermore, Kumar is doing a fine job at the fag end of the innings. The right-handed swing bowler is hitting the bullseye with his yorkers.

Moreover, the Indian pacer has also added the knuckleball variation in his armoury which is reaping the fruit for him in the shortest format of the game.

In fact, Bhuvneshwar has also added a couple of extra yards of pace to his arsenal.

MS Dhoni

MS Dhoni got back into form in the recently concluded Indian Premier League. Thus, the former Indian skipper can get promoted by Virat Kohli.

Dhoni is known to take some time in the initial stage of his inning. However, he was able to hit the ground from the get-go in the IPL.

Dhoni’s return to form is a shot in the arm for the Indian side. Thus, the wicketkeeper-batsman will like to make the most of his good form.