Team India’s best T20I XI of the year 2021

The year 2021 has been a memorable one for the Indian cricket team. The year started with the anticipation of building the best XI for the T20 World Cup. India hosted England for five T20I match series in the month of March and won three out of it and sealed the series.

In July for the first time, BCCI became the board to assemble two national teams at the same time as the team with senior players participated in the England series and so, the new mustered team toured to Sri Lanka for limited-overs series. After that series, India had their big dream of achieving the T20 World Cup.

But unfortunately, India experienced consecutive losses against Pakistan and New Zealand and was out of the tournament. After which India hosted New Zealand for three T20I and won all of it. India played 16 matches this year and won 10 out of it and a total of 11 players debuted this year. Hence, let’s take a look at-

India’s best T20I XI of 2021

1. Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma will definitely feature as the best T20I opener on the Indian side. This year has been a phenomenal one with the bat for the veteran, and he has also been handed over the responsibility of limited-overs captaincy.

Rohit played a total of 11 T20I matches in this calendar year and has scored 424 runs with an average of 38.54 which includes five half-centuries with his career-best strike rate of 150.88. After becoming the permanent T20I captain, the team won the New Zealand T20I series under him.

“The Hitman” is the highest T20I run-getter for India this year and was the second-highest of the team in the ICC T20 World Cup. His opening in the powerplay has been explosive and has always guided the team to a good position with his batting.

2. KL Rahul

It has been a rollercoaster T20I career year for the classy KL Rahul. His first phase of the T20I campaign this year was not up to the mark and had a poor run against England with two ducks in his four matches. Rahul’s fortunes changed once the IPL started.

The 29-year-old expressed his star worth since then. He was the third-highest run-getter in IPL this year and was the highest scorer for India in the T20 World Cup with three half-centuries in five matches. On playing 11 matches, he hit 289 runs with an average and strike rate of 28.90 and 130.76.

Although he had a bad first half in the national T20I side, he coped up with his extraordinary batting skills in the latter. His batting display is a treat for the eyes of the audience and his batting position as an opener in T20I is firmly affixed.

3. Virat Kohli (c)

Daring, tough, and fiercely talented, Virat Kohli is arguably one of the finest batters that the country has ever produced. He has been even drawn comparisons with the great Sachin Tendulkar. Virat took over the captaincy of the Indian limited-overs side in 2017 and has been a terrific leader to look forward to.

The legendary batter has got an average of above 50 in T20Is. He has been the pillar of the Indian batting lineup and has had a wonderful run till now. He has played 10 T20I matches this year and has scored 299 runs at an outstanding average of 74.75 with a strike rate of 132.89.

Virat seems to be out of form in recent times but his statistics don’t show that and that feeling is because of the standard he has set over the years. He wasn’t at his usual best in the T20 World Cup as he only managed a lone run a ball fifty in the tournament against Pakistan. But looking at this year, he is undoubtedly the best T20 batter in the current era.

4. Suryakumar Yadav

The year 2021 has been a fantasy for this player. His longing dream of donning the national colors has finally been fulfilled. He has done justice to his position and has evolved as a consistent batter at number four for the Indian T20I side.

Suryakumar Yadav after a long wait, debuted for the Indian T20I team in a match against England in March this year. In his second match and in his first batting appearance itself, he hit 57 runs and bagged the man of the match award.

SKY has played 11 T20I matches and has hit 244 runs with an amazing strike rate of 155.41. His ability to take down the bowlers around all sides of the grounds and the sturdiness along with the aggressiveness he offers when a wicket falls is awe-inspiring.

5. Rishabh Pant (wk)

This year has been a splendid one for the youngster Rishabh Pant. He has been the consistent wicketkeeper of the Indian side this year. After the retirement of the legendary Dhoni, Pant has done well in recent years to manage to fit in the vacant spot.

It is a memorable year for this player as he got the captaincy of Delhi Capitals in the IPL and has contributed to the national side throughout. He has played 13 T20I matches and has scored 213 runs with a strike rate of 125.29.

Pant’s contributions this year both in front and behind the wickets were remarkable. He has improved a lot in his temperament and now plays according to the situation of the match. His evolvement as a finisher and also as an anchor has been impressive.

6. Ravindra Jadeja

Ravindra Jadeja has evolved as a precious gem of the Indian side. He is one of the players who can surprise the opposition with his performance in batting, bowling, and fielding. He hasn’t played much of T20I matches this year due to injuries and rests.

Jadeja only played five T20I matches and all of those were on the big stage of the T20 World Cup. He is an integral part of the Test side and hence, he was rested in the other T20I series to minimize his workload.

The southpaw had an excellent IPL and on playing five T20I matches, he hit 39 runs in two innings and grabbed seven wickets with an astonishing economy of 5.94. His valuable contributions in all the fields were amazing.

7. Shardul Thakur

The 30-year-old medium-pacer is a hit the deck bowler, who can swing the ball away from the right-handers. Currently, he is the lead pacer of Mumbai in domestic cricket and also a constant member of the Indian team. He is becoming a star in the making as an all-rounder.

Shardul had a good IPL 2021 season for the Chennai super kings providing them with crucial breakthroughs whenever they needed and finished the tournament as the fourth-highest wicket-taker. He, in his relatively short T20I career, has played 24 matches and has taken 31 wickets at an average of 23.84. He is a hard hitter low down the order.

The Mumbai player has played seven T20I’s this year and has picked eight wickets with an expensive economy of 9.89. But he has provided India with those crucial breakthroughs. He hasn’t got the chance to do enough with the bat in this format but looking at his potential, he will be utilized to his fullest in the future.

8. Ravi Ashwin

Ravi Ashwin, the current best Test bowler of India has impressed each and everyone with his bewildering bowling performance in the shortest format of the game. Nobody would have believed if someone had said Ashwin would feature in this list this year.

After making a comeback into the T20I side after four long years, Ashwin stamped his capabilities in this format too. His selection into the T20 World Cup side of India was a surprise and he eventually became the pick of the spinners in the squad.

This doyen played five matches and took nine wickets with a staggering economy of 5.25. He still made a comeback amongst the young Indian spinners after four long years, as he still has many variations under his sleeve. His performance this year looks like his reservation in the T20I side for the future.

9. Bhuvneshwar Kumar

The swing-son of the Indian cricket team Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been an amazing bowler of the side. His ability to bowl well in the powerplays and to pick early wickets along with his economical bowling makes him an effective pacer.

Bhuvi has played 12 T20I matches and has grabbed 12 wickets with an astonishing economy of 6.50. He was also honoured with the man of the match a few times this year.

The 31-year-old bowler was selected in the T20 World Cup squad but did not provide his best service to the team. But still, his statistics for this year definitely rank him in the list, as he is the highest wicket-taker of the Indian T20I side this year.

10. Mohammed Shami

Mohammed Shami, the seam bowler of India has troubled the batters all around the world with his seaming express deliveries. He is known for his accurate Yorkers and sharp bouncers. He had a decent outing this year.

Shami did not get much of a chance to represent the side as he was recovering from his injuries in the early half. He directly made it into the T20 World Cup squad for his experience and for his form in the IPL as he was the fifth-highest wicket-taker in the tournament.

The seamer only played all the five World Cup matches this year and picked six wickets with an economy of 8.84. Though he was a bit expensive, he troubled the batters whenever he got his rhythm right.

11. Jasprit Bumrah

One of the best pace bowlers India has ever produced is Jasprit Bumrah. He is the leader of the Indian pace attack. Over the years, he has become the bowler whom the batters all over the world feel scared to face.

Bumrah also played only the five T20 World Cup matches. He was the leading wicket-taker of the Indian side in the World Cup with seven wickets. His economy of 5.08 is unbelievable and features in the leader board of the most economical list.

During this course of the year, the pacer had an amazing IPL outing as he was the third-highest wicket-taker of the league. All the world-class batters struggled a lot to hit runs off his bowling. He is a precious gem of the Indian side and almost all the teams would be jealous that they lack a bowler like him.