Ireland vs India: Focus on captain Hardik Pandya as India to check bench energy in T20 World Cup yr

Even because the Test regulars are getting ready for the much-anticipated rescheduled fifth Test towards England in Birmingham, the main target will momentarily shift to Dublin when the white-ball specialists will tackle Ireland within the first of a 2-match collection on Sunday.

Hardik Pandya will lead India for the primary time because the Baroda all-rounder provides one other chapter to his unimaginable comeback story after having been slowed down by persistent again accidents. Hardik was the vice-captain of the facet when India confronted South Africa at house in 5 T20is earlier this yr as he was the deputy to Rishabh Pant, who has flown to England to hitch the Test crew.

Hardik Pandya will look to impress in his maiden stint as India captain because the meeting line of potential successors to Rohit Sharma is barely rising with each collection. Hardik, who led Gujarat Titans to Indian Premier League title in 2022, has definitely risen the ladder shortly. All eyes will likely be on Hardik because the star all-rounder will look to stamp his authority as captain.

Hardik confirmed again and again within the IPL 2022 marketing campaign that he loves accountability and thrives underneath stress. As batting nice Sunil Gavaskar identified Hardik’s shot choice was spectacular in IPL as he made all the appropriate strikes because the skipper of the beginner franchise.

“I have got an opportunity to lead India. It’s in itself a big thing. I don’t play the sport to show anyone anything, if I am good enough. I was always the same,” Hardik stated on the eve of the first T20i.

INDIA TO TEST BENCH STRENGTH

With VVS Laxman becoming a member of the crew as the pinnacle coach, the Indian crew administration will likely be eager on testing the bench energy within the absence of the regulars. With Hardik hinting a few debuts for India, it is going to be attention-grabbing to see if the likes of Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh and Rahul Tripathi get a possibility to play.

Notably, the likes of Umran and Arshdeep had been warming the benches as India endured with an unchanged XI within the 5-match collection towards South Africa. Tripathi, who was spectacular within the IPL for SunRisers Hyderabad, was not picked for the house collection however he made it to the Ireland tour after receiving his maiden India call-up.

CAN SURYA IMPRESS ON COMEBACK?

Meanwhile, the main target may even be on Suryakumar Yadav, who returns to the facet for the primary time after an harm in IPL 2022. The Mumbai Indians star had been a mainstay within the batting unit and with Shreyas Iyer struggling for consistency, it is a possibility for Suryakumar to cement his place.

It will likely be attention-grabbing to see if India hand a possibility to Sanju Samson, particularly after how Rohit Sharma picked him as a favorite to be within the India squad for the T20 World Cup in Australia, when he made his comeback in the course of the Sri Lanka collection at house earlier than the IPL.

In the bowling entrance, Bhuvneshwar Kumar would be the chief of the pack after having travelled to Ireland because the vice-captain. India may even be tempted to strive Ravi Bishnoi after the leg-spinner warmed the benches towards South Africa at the same time as Yuzvendra Chahal performed all 5 matches.

On the opposite hand, Ireland, who final performed T20Is in February, will likely be seeking to present a stiff take a look at. Andrew Balbirnie, their skipper, stated Ireland will likely be switched on however it is going to be an uphill take a look at for the European facet even towards this Indian facet, which doesn’t a lot of its massive names.

Notably, Ireland have by no means gained a T20I towards India. The two groups have met as many as 3 instances, together with twice within the 2018 tour. Under Virat Kohli, India posted in extra of 200 in each the matches, successful by margins of 76 and 143 runs.

IRELAND VS INDIA, T20I SQUADS

India

Hardik Pandya (c), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (vc), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, Rahul Tripathi, Deepak Hooda, Venkatesh Iyer, Axar Patel, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel, Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi.

Ireland

Andrew Balbirnie (c), Harry Tector, Gareth Delany, Paul Stirling, Curtis Campher, Stephen Doheny, Lorcan Tucker, Mark Adair, George Dockrell, Joshua Little, Andy McBrine, Barry McCarthy, Conor Olphert, Craig Young.