ICC T20 World Cup 2021: India's Squad For The Tournament (Predicted)

ICC T20 World Cup 2021 is set to be played this year in October-November. India is the host of the tournament but a final decision about scheduling the tournament within the country will be taken in July on the basis of the Covid-19 situation in India. UAE is the backup venue for ICC T20 World Cup 2021.

The T20I World Cup was originally scheduled to be played in Australia last year but it was postponed due to the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic. Later, India was selected as the new host for the tournament.

India has only won the T20 World Cup once during the debut edition of the tournament in 2007. India lost in the final of the T20I World Cup 2014 against Sri Lanka. At present, West Indies are the defending champions of the tournament. They defeated England in the final of the previous edition of the T20I World Cup in 2016.

This time, India are one of the favorites to win ICC T20 World Cup 2021, and Indian fans have a lot of expectations from Virat Kohli and boys. Here we predict the 20-man Indian squad for the ICC T20 World Cup 2021.

ICC T20 World Cup 2021: India’s Squad For The Tournament (Predicted)

Virat Kohli (c)

Virat Kohli will be a confirmed member of the squad in ICC T20 World Cup 2021 and he will be leading the side. The Indian skipper has led the team effectively in T20Is so far. In the last two T20I series, the Indian team defeated Australia 2-1 and outplayed England 3-2. The 32-year-old Kohli was the highest run-scorer for India in the three-match T20I series against Australia in December 2020, scoring 134 runs in 3 matches along with a fifty.

Also, against England, the Indian captain smashed 231 runs in 5 matches with three half-centuries and was the highest run-scorer in the tournament. He also won the player of the series award after the T20I series victory against England.

Rohit Sharma (vc)

Rohit Sharma will be also part of the Indian squad in ICC T20 World Cup 2021. The right-handed batsman is one of the best openers in international cricket right now. Since 2013, Rohit Sharma is a regular member of the Indian team.

He is the vice-captain of India in ODIs and T20Is. Against England, the 34-year-old scored 91 runs in 3 matches while hitting one half-century. He was the highest run-scorer of Mumbai Indians in IPL 2021’s first leg with 250 runs in 7 matches.

KL Rahul

KL Rahul will be another batsman who will make up for India’s squad in ICC T20 World Cup 2021. The right-handed batsman had a poor outing in the T20I series against Australia and England, where he got out for a duck in few games. However, he made a comeback with a century in the ODI series against England.

Also, in IPL 2021, Rahul showed a spectacular form. He scored 331 runs in 7 matches with 4 fifties and was the 2nd highest run-scorer in the tournament. He will also act as a backup wicketkeeper for India.

Shikhar Dhawan

Shikhar Dhawan is another player who will be part of India’s squad in ICC T20 World Cup 2021. The left-handed batsman has been a regular member of the Indian team in the limited-overs format for the past few years. In the T20I series against Australia last year, Dhawan was India’s 2nd highest run-getter. He piled up 81 runs in 3 matches while hitting a half-century.

Moreover, the 35-year-old was also fabulous in IPL 2021. He was the highest run-scorer with 380 runs in 8 games and accounted for half-centuries. His highest score was a 92-run-knock.

Shreyas Iyer

Shreyas Iyer is another confirmed member of India’s squad for ICC T20 World Cup 2021. The right-handed batsman has been a regular part of the Indian team for the last 2 years in the limited-overs format. Iyer was injured ahead of IPL 2021 due to which he was ruled out of the tournament.

During India vs England T20I series in March, Iyer smashed a crucial fifty in the first match. In 5 T20I matches against England, he scored 121 runs.

Prithvi Shaw

Prithvi Shaw is another batsman who is highly expected to be part of the Indian squad in ICC T20 World Cup 2021. Shaw has been in a magnificent form since the start of this year.

In Vijay Hazare Trophy 2020-21, he emerged as the highest run-scorer with 827 runs in 8 matches. In IPL 2021, Shaw was the 4th highest run-scorer with 308 runs in 8 games while representing Delhi Capitals. He also smashed 3 half-centuries.

Rishabh Pant

After his impressive performance in India’s previous bilateral series against England and Australia, Rishabh Pant has become the primary choice of wicket-keeper in for the Indian team. He came to the limelight with his match-winning performance against Australia in the 4th Test in January this year.

Later, in the T20I series against England, he scored 1023 runs in 4 innings. He also smashed two 70-plus knocks against England in the ODI series. In IPL 2021, he led Delhi Capitals to the top of the points table with 6 victories in 8 games. He also smashed 213 runs in 8 matches along with 2 half-centuries. Hence, the left-handed batsman is highly expected to be part of the Indian squad for ICC T20 World Cup 2021.

Suryakumar Yadav

Suryakumar Yadav is also expected to be selected in the Indian squad for the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 as he is a commendable middle-order batsman. He smashed a half-century during his international debut against England in a T20I match in March this year.

He played 3 matches in the T20I series against England and smashed 89 runs. In IPL 2021, the right-handed batsman scored 173 runs for Mumbai Indians in 7 matches along with a half-century.

Hardik Pandya

With his strength in batting and bowling, Hardik Pandya is a crucial all-rounder for India in the limited-overs format. Pandya was the leading force behind India’s T20I series win against Australia last year. He smashed 14 runs in 4 balls of the final over in the 2nd T20I to win the game for India, helping India to win the series 2-0 at the end of 2nd T20I itself.

He did not have a brilliant show against England in the T20I series. But the right-handed batsman is a great finisher for India in the T20Is. So he will also be part of the Indian squad that will compete in ICC T20 World Cup 2021.

Ravindra Jadeja

Ravindra Jadeja will be the other all-rounder in the squad of the Indian team for ICC T20I World Cup 2021. Jadeja’s previous T20I match was against Australia last year when he smashed 44 runs off 23 balls. The left-handed batsman was injured during the Australia series and returned in IPL 2021.

For Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2021, Jadeja scored 131 runs in 6 innings at an average of 131 and also picked 6 wickets in 7 matches. His 37 runs in the single over of RCB’s Harshal Patel was an iconic moment in the tournament.

Jasprit Bumrah

In the bowlers’ category, Jasprit Bumrah will be part of the Indian squad in ICC T20 World Cup 2021. The right-handed bowler is the premier pacer for the Indian team in all three formats.

In his last T20I series against England in January-February 2020, he picked 6 wickets in 5 games. In IPL 2021, Bumrah showed a brilliant economy in few games, helping Mumbai Indians to bag victory while defending low targets. Bumrah picked 6 wickets in 7 IPL matches.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Bhuvneshwar Kumar is another pacer who is highly expected to be part of India’s squad during ICC T20 World Cup 2021. The right-arm pacer got injured during IPL 2020 last year and made a comeback in the T20I series against England in March 2021.

He picked 4 wickets in 5 T20I matches against the England team and had a brilliant economy of 6.39. He was also effective in the ODI series, picking 6 wickets in 3 matches.

Mohammed Shami

Mohammed Shami is another bowler who will be part of India’s squad in ICC T20 World Cup 2021. Shami suffered an injury during the 1st Test against Australia last year. As a result, he was out of the field for a long time.

The right-arm pacer made a comeback in IPL 2021 for Punjab Kings. He picked 8 wickets in 8 games.

Deepak Chahar

Deepak Chahar is another pacer who is expected to be part of India’s squad in the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 tournament. The right-arm pacer last played a T20I match against Australia, in which he accounted for 1 wicket in 2 matches.

In IPL 2021, Chahar showed a brilliant performance. He accounted for a 4-wicket haul in two games and helped his team Chennai Super Kings to overpower the opponents. He took a total of 8 wickets in 7 matches in IPL 2021.

T Natrajan

T Natrajan came to the limelight with his performances against Australia and England. During his T20I debut against Australia last year, he was India’s highest wicket-taker in the series with 6 wickets in 3 matches. Against England, he picked 1 wicket in the one T20I match he played.

In IPL 2021, he had a great start for Sunrisers Hyderabad but had to leave the tournament midway after sustaining an injury. With his impressive bowling show for India in recent times, N Natrajan is also expected to be part of India’s squad in ICC T20 World Cup 2021.

Shardul Thakur

In the last few series of India in all three formats, Shardul Thakur has shown a commendable performance. Against Australia last year, he picked 2 wickets in 2 T20I games. Later, he emerged as India’s highest wicket-taker in the T20I series against England, scalping 5 wickets in 5 matches.

Later in the ODI series against the English side in March 2021, the right-arm pacer picked 7 wickets in 3 matches. Thakur is another pacer who is expected to be part of India’s squad in ICC T20I World Cup 2021.

Harshal Patel

Harshal Patel bagged the limelight with his stupendous bowling show in IPL 2021. The right-arm pacer was part of Royal Challengers Bangalore in the tournament.

He picked a 5-wicket haul in the first game against Mumbai Indians. Patel emerged as the leading wicket-taker in the tournament with 17 wickets in 7 matches. With his impressive show in IPL 2021’s first leg, he might attract selectors and can be picked for ICC T20 World Cup 2021.

Yuzvendra Chahal

For the spin option, Yuzvendra Chahal is highly expected to be part of the Indian squad in ICC T20 World Cup 2021. Chahal has been a regular member of the Indian team in the limited-overs format for the last 2-3 years. During India vs Australia 1st T20I in December last year, he picked 3 wickets in the 2nd innings as a concussion substitute and helped India to win the game.

In the T20I series against England, he accounted for 3 wickets in 3 matches. In IPL 2021, he played 7 matches for Royal Challengers Bangalore and picked 4 wickets.

Rahul Chahar

Rahul Chahar is also highly expected to be picked for the spinner’s slot of the Indian squad in ICC T20 World Cup 2021. Chahar gave a fabulous show for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2021. The right-arm spinner picked 11 wickets in 7 matches and was the 4th highest wicket-taker in the tournament.

His deadly spin attack helped Mumbai Indians to put pressure on the opposition batsmen in few games while defending a low total.

Axar Patel

Axar Patel is another spinner who might be selected in the Indian squad in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2021. Axar Patel was very effective in the Test series against England earlier this year when he made his Test debut.

The left-arm spinner picked 27 wickets in 6 innings. In IPL 2021, he picked 6 wickets in 4 matches with an economy of 7 for Delhi Capitals. The Indian team will go for a left-arm spinner in the squad and Axar Patel leads the race in that category.