Probable Playing XI of Team Rohit and Team Kohli if India plays an intra-squad match

The outbreak of Covid-19 has forced many changes in our lifestyle. One of the most drastically affected industries is that of sports. Since the end of March 2020, many sports events have been suspended, postponed or even cancelled. Countries all across the globe are taking several measures to prevent the infestation of the deadly virus in their territory.

In the midst of such tension and anxiety, cricket fans had finally found some respite. On 8th July 2020, West Indies officially kick-started their tour of England at Southampton for the first match of the three-match Test series.

Interestingly, that time around, both the teams played Intra-squad warm-up games instead of playing against each other. Team England warmed up by playing matches between two teams captained by Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler, while West Indies divided into Team Holder and Team Brathwaite.

In such a scenario, it is possible that the BCCI may also replicate such an idea, and thus, we may witness an Intra-squad warm-up match being played between the Indian players. For a limited-overs match, it is a no-brainer that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli would be the top two choices to lead their respective teams.

Here we discuss the probable playing XI(s) if an intra-squad warm-up match is organized by the BCCI for Team India:

1. Team Rohit- Rohit Sharma(c) | Team Kohli- KL Rahul

Taking the first strike for Team Rohit would be the skipper himself. Since the time he started to open the batting in 2013, Sharma has gone from strength to strength and is now regarded as one of the greatest ODI players of all time. In fact, he is the only International cricketer to have multiple ODI double hundreds to his name.

In 224 ODI matches, he has scored 9115 runs at an average of 49.27 with 29 centuries including three double hundreds. The No. 2 ranked ODI batsman has also proven himself to be a capable leader who can bring excellent results from a match.

For Team Kohli, the recent sensation KL Rahul will take the first strike. Since making his international debut in the year 2014 in the Test format, he has come a long way. Recently discarded from the Test side, he has made himself at home in the limited-overs format and has churned out impressive performances one after the other. He can also double up as a useful backup wicketkeeper for his side.

In 32 ODI matches, Rahul has scored 1239 runs at an average of 47.65 with 7 half-centuries and 4 hundreds. If the recent ODI series in New Zealand is any indication, Rahul may prove to be one of the greatest assets for Team India in future.

2. Team Rohit- Shikhar Dhawan | Team Kohli- Prithvi Shaw

Accompanying the skipper in Team Rohit would be his regular opening partner in international cricket, Shikhar Dhawan. Famous for his omnipresent smile on one hand as well as heartless aggression at the cricket field on the other, Dhawan is the ideal opening partner for the captain.

Apart from the right-left hand combination, Dhawan usually strikes at a high rate in the beginning of the innings, allowing Rohit to settle down. At times, Dhawan himself has played many match-winning innings, especially in the ICC events. In 136 ODI matches, Dhawan has scored 5688 runs at an average of 45.14. He has managed to score 29 fifties and 17 hundreds throughout his career.

For Team Kohli, the player accompanying KL Rahul is the boy wonder Prithvi Shaw. Though he has not played any great innings in the limited chances he got during the ODI series versus New Zealand, his domestic record shows a lot of promise. He can play a role akin to Dhawan for Team Kohli and can prove to be a valuable partner for the more experienced KL Rahul.

3. Team Rohit- Mayank Agarwal | Team Kohli- Virat Kohli(c)

For Team Rohit, following the dynamic duo would be the prodigious Karnataka batsman Mayank Agarwal. Since making his Test debut in 2018, he has not looked back and has cemented his place in the longest format of the game.

The fact that he was called as a replacement batsman during the World Cup 2019 without having played a single ODI speaks volumes about the selectors’ faith in his abilities. Though he could not impress much during the New Zealand series, he has made it clear that there is much more he can offer, even in the short formats of the game.

The captain himself would take the stage at No.3 in Team Kohli. Arguably the best batsman of the contemporary era, Kohli’s journey in International cricket has been nothing short of a fairytale. Within such a short time-span, he has broken numerous records and has won several accolades while representing the national team.

Many cricketing experts believe that he will be the first person to surpass Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 100 international centuries. In 248 ODI matches, Kohli has notched up 11,867 runs at an average of 59.34 and a strike rate of 93.25. Also, at 31 years of age, he already has 58 fifties and 43 hundreds to his name.

4. Team Rohit- Manish Pandey | Team Kohli- Shreyas Iyer

Following Mayank Agarwal in Team Rohit would be his Karnataka teammate and skipper Manish Pandey. One of the most unlucky players in the contemporary era, Pandey’s skills batting in the top-order may prove to be a boon for Team Rohit. Since his debut, Pandey has been a consistent performer and has fulfilled his duties whenever called upon to do so. Add to that his admirable skills as a fieldsman and he becomes an envious asset for any team.

For the other side, Shreyas Iyer will take up his duties in his original role as a No.4 batsman. Iyer has somehow managed to fill the void left by Ambati Rayudu after his ouster from the national team and has proved to be a coherent force, sticking the innings together at one end.

He has often anchored the innings well and his skills as a finisher also don’t need any introduction. In 18 ODI matches, he has scored 748 runs at an average of 49.87 and a strike rate of more than 100. These runs include 8 fifties and a solitary hundred.

5. Team Rohit- Rishabh Pant(wk) | Team Kohli- Sanju Samson (wk)

Despite his recent struggles with the bat, Rishabh Pant is an appropriate option to don the wicket-keeping gloves for Team Rohit. The young prodigy forced the world to take notice of his explosive batting in the IPL and backed up the promise by scoring a Test ton during India’s tour down under.

He was also called as a replacement option during last year’s World Cup performed better than expected. Playing well in such a warm-up game could do wonders for his inclusion in the regular team.

On the other hand, Pant’s competitor Sanju Samson has been doing well in domestic cricket and IPL of late to earn a place in Team Kohli’s XI. Sanju can be explosive in the middle order with the willow and he can plot some dismissal behind the wicket with his gloves.

6. Team Rohit- Hardik Pandya | Team Kohli- Ravindra Jadeja

Rohit’s Mumbai Indians’ teammate Hardik Pandya will assume the role of the primary all-rounder of the side. Currently India’s best pace bowling all-rounder; Pandya is an extremely underrated asset for the team. His explosive batting in the death overs, coupled with his clever bowling in the middle ones may ensure him a place in almost any playing XI in the world.

In 54 ODI matches, he has managed scalp the same number of wickets and score 957 runs in the batting department. He has managed to cross 50 on four occasions with the highest score of 83.

In the Indian Skipper’s team, the role of the primary all-rounder will be taken up by the Saurashtra all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. A left-arm orthodox bowler and a left-handed batsman, he has often bailed India out of tough situations with both bat and ball. Apart from these two skills, he is a highly regarded fielder making him a proper 3-dimensional player.

In 165 ODI matches, he has scored 2296 runs and scalped 187 wickets in the bowling department. He has 7 four-wicket hauls and one five-wicket haul to his name.

7. Team Rohit- Dinesh Karthik | Team Kohli- Kedar Jadhav

The role of a finisher can be a tricky one as a lot of hope is riding on such a player to see the match through and ensure victory for his team. If there is a list of players who have always stood up to the occasion and snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, the Tamil Nadu batsman Dinesh Karthik would definitely feature in it.

A dynamic batsman who can bat anywhere in the order is a dream come true for any team. His flexibility along with his excellent abilities behind the wicket makes him a promising entrant in this Playing XI.

For the other side, the short albeit extremely talented batsman from Maharashtra would take the centre stage at the end of the innings. During the last couple of years, Jadhav has shown extreme responsibility while coming out to bat and has added another dimension to his arsenal through his bowling. He has been Kohli’s go-to man for a long time now.

In 73 matches, he has scored 1389 runs at an average of 42.09 with 6 fifties and two hundreds to his name. During this time, he also managed to scalp 27 wickets whilst keeping his economy rate around 5.

8. Team Rohit- Ravichandran Ashwin | Team Kohli- Shardul Thakur

Despite playing his last ODI more than two years ago, Ravichandran Ashwin has a truckload of experience which cannot be easily ignored. Thus, he takes up the role of the primary off-spinner and the No.8 batsman in Team Rohit. Ashwin’s variations throughout his quota of 10 overs spell a nightmare for the batsmen who find it difficult to pick his deliveries.

In 111 matches, he has scalped 150 wickets at an average of 32.91 and an economy rate of less than 5. He has also managed to rescue his team with the bat on many occasions and has scored 675 runs with the willow in the same number of matches.

In the opposite team, the Mumbai speedster has made himself a fan-favourite with his exploits in the recent game. Selected in the team primarily as a replacement pacer, Shardul stunned everyone with his batting skills by winning matches from precarious situations. His skills with the ball are also not ordinary. Despite going for a lot of runs, he has often provided breakthroughs at crucial junctures.

9. Team Rohit- Bhuvneshwar Kumar | Team Kohli- Deepak Chahar

The UP pacer was a revelation ever since he stepped foot on the cricket field in an international match. Scalping a wicket from the very first delivery he bowled in ODI cricket put him in the spotlight and he ensured that it remained focused on him until he sealed a permanent spot for himself in the playing XI. In Rohit’s team, Bhuvneshwar will play the role of pace spearhead and will take the new ball in the powerplay overs.

In 114 matches, he has managed to get 132 wickets at an average of 34.61 and an economy of just over 5. He has 4 four-wicket hauls and 1 five-wicket haul to his name.

For Team Kohli, the CSK spearhead Deepak Chahar will take the new ball. A primarily swing bowler, he specialises in scalping wickets upfront during the initial overs of an innings. He recently became the first Indian player to claim a hat-trick in T20I cricket and also registered the best T20I bowling figures.

10. Team Rohit- Mohammed Shami | Team Kohli- Jasprit Bumrah

When it comes to sharing the new ball with the spearhead, Mohammed Shami will take up his position at the other end in Team Rohit. An express pacer with a remarkable seam position, Shami has evolved himself into an admirable bowler over the years. He played an extremely important role in India’s World Cup campaign last year and even scalped an ODI hat-trick.

In 77 ODI matches, he has scalped 144 wickets at an average of 25.41 and economy of 5.59. He managed to get 9 four-wicket hauls and 1 five-wicket haul under his name.

The pace bowling department in Team Kohli will be spearheaded by arguably the current best Indian pacer, Jasprit Bumrah. Since his debut, Bumrah has never flattered to deceive and has always managed to do the right thing at the right time. In 64 ODI matches, he has scalped 104 wickets at an average of 24.43 and an economy of 4.56. He has 5 four-wicket hauls and a solitary five-wicket haul to his credit.

11. Team Rohit-Kuldeep Yadav | Team Kohli- Yuzvendra Chahal

The talented chinaman bowler from Uttar Pradesh will play the role of the primary wrist spinner in Rohit’s team. Forming one part of the dynamic Kul-cha, Yadav has gained plenty of success in limited formats of cricket during the past few years. He makes full use of his difficult-to-read deliveries by foxing the batsmen whenever possible. In 60 matches, he has managed to scalp 104 wickets with the best bowling figures of 6-25.

For Team Kohli, the ever-smiling Yuzvendra Chahal will play the role of the primary wrist spinner. The other part of the ‘Kul-Cha’ combo, Chahal stands apart from other bowlers because of his hunger for wickets and courage to toss the ball up even after being plundered for runs. His devil-may-care attitude while bowling has produced some terrifying results for his team.

In 52 matches, he has managed to scalp 91 wickets at an average of 25.84 and economy of just over 5. He has two five-wicket hauls under his name with the best bowling figures of 6-42.