Samson dropped; Gill, Abhishek to open, No Harshit: IND strongest XI for 1st T20I vs SA

Gill, Abhishek likely to open; will Samson find a place? [Source: AFP]

After the ongoing three-match ODI series, India will cross swords against South Africa in five T20I matches on home soil. The first match of the five-game series will be played at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack on December 9. 

The T20I series against South Africa will witness the return of several Indian stars, including skipper Suryakumar Yadav, to cricketing action. As the hosts gear up for the opening encounter, let's analyse and find out their strongest potential combination for this match.

Fit-again Shubman Gill likely to open with Abhishek Sharma

(Gill, Abhishek's record as an opening pair in T20Is)

Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma have been prolific as an opening duo for India in T20Is. With Gill reportedly receiving a fitness clearance for all five T20Is, India will likely persist with their tried and tested opening combination. Abhishek's flamboyant stroke play and Gill's ability to anchor the innings with great poise make them a perfect pair to open the batting. 

Why India might ignore Sanju Samson and pick Jitesh Sharma

(Samson's T20I record as a middle order)

As Shubman Gill is likely to play the first T20I, India will have to pick the better middle-order batter between Sanju Samson and Jitesh Sharma for the wicketkeeper's slot. While Samson has been a proven performer at the top order, Jitesh's finishing expertise could prompt the Indian think tank to pick him over the Kerala batter. 

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SKY, Tilak to lead Indian batting with Allrounders

(Tilak and SKY in T20Is)

With Gill and Abhishek opening the batting, Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma will spearhead the Indian batting in the middle-order. Tilak has been a force to reckon with the bat at number three, while Surya's scintillating stroke play makes him a valuable asset for the home side. 

Meanwhile, Hardik Pandya's return as strengthened the Indian lineup, and the talismanic cricketer will play as the first-choice finisher with Jitesh. Axar Patel might play as a floater and could be promoted up the order to accelerate in the middle-overs against left-arm spin and right-arm wrist spin. 

Apart from contributing handy runs to the total, Pandya and Axar can chip in with four-over spells, ensuring quality and flexibility. 

Toss-up between Dube and Harshit: Who should India pick?

As Hardik Pandya has made his comeback, one might think India will go with four genuine bowling options in the first T20I. However, the Gautam Gambhir-led think tank has prioritised multi-dimensional players over specialists, which is why the hosts might pick Shivam Dube over someone like Harshit Rana. 

Axar and Pandya can bowl four overs each; so, India can ensure depth in their batting by including Dube as another all-round option. They persisted with the southpaw in the Australia ODIs and we expect the trend to continue against South Africa as well. 

Bumrah, Arshdeep to spearhead bowling; Chakravarthy likely over Kuldeep

Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh are the frontrunners to lead the Indian bowling attack. Arshdeep is the most successful T20I bowler for India, while Bumrah's accuracy and clever tricks make him the hosts' most potent weapon across all three phases. There could be a toss-up between Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav, with the former likely to get the first priority as India's frontline spinner due to his consistency in the format. 

India's strongest XI for 1st T20I vs South Africa

Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Shivam Dube, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh

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