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Ravi Shastri picks India's playing XI for the first T20I against SA, excludes Dinesh Karthik

Sakshi Jain

Following the conclusion of the Indian Premier League 2022, India will resume international cricket with a five-match T20I series against South Africa. The tour will kickstart on June 09, and the five T20 Internationals are scheduled at Delhi, Cuttack, Visakhapatnam, Rajkot, and Bengaluru. 


With Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Jasprit Bumrah on break, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has awarded the IPL 2022 stars a place in the squad. As the Men in Blue are gearing up to play the shortest format of the game under the leadership of KL Rahul, former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri came up with his playing XI. 


The former cricketer made some surprising calls for the first T20I scheduled at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Shastri picked KL and Ruturaj as the opening pair for the game. Rahul was the second-highest run-getter in IPL 2022, while Ruturaj failed to live up to his reputation.


Shastri didn't seem much supportive of playing Ishan Kishan in the first game. Notably, Kishan couldn't justify his hefty paycheck as he struggled to score runs for Mumbai Indians in the T20 league. 


Further, Ravi picked Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, and Hardik Pandya as the middle-order batters. The selection seemed surprising as he left Dinesh Karthik out of the final XI. Karthik has earned a comeback in Blue Jersey after an eye-pleasing performance for Royal Challengers Bangalore. 


"I think they will go with the guys they will want to see first – the Rahuls, the Ruturaj Gaikwads – maybe they will open. They will probably give Ishan (Kishan) a break in this game or bat him at three."


"If you bat him (Ishan) at three, then it will be Shreyas (Iyer) at No. 4, (Rishabh) Pant at No. 5, and Hardik (Pandya) at No. 6," Ravi Shastri said while speaking on the Star Sports show 'Game Plan'. 


Shastri's spin selection seemed easy as he included Yuzvendra Chahal and Axar Patel. However, coming to the pace unit, the veteran seemed confused between the two debutants, Umran Malik and Arshdeep Singh. Shastri believes that the pitch conditions will decide who will handle India's seam unit alongside Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Harshal Patel. 


“No. 7 will be Axar Patel. I think eight will be Bhuvneshwar Kumar batting-wise, then Chahal, Arshdeep Singh/Umran Malik, and Harshal Patel. Umran or Arshdeep depending on the ground and what the pitch is like."


"I think if Bhuvi plays, then Umran is better because Bhuvi can do a job for you at the death. But then again you are looking for someone at the death, they are looking to develop that bowler. So if Harshal is going to do that, he plays that game," Shastri concluded. 


Ravi Shastri's playing XI for the first T20I: KL Rahul, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh/Umran Malik

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