My World Cup 15 is as simple as it gets. My top order would be:
1. Rohit Sharma
2. Shikhar Dhawan
3. KL Rahul
Sharma-Dhawan is a tested combination and works like a charm when it does. KL Rahul, after his heroics in the match against Mumbai Indians, would have definitely managed to get the selectors to sit up and pay attention. He would make a good back-up opener/number three.
4. Virat Kohli - We don't have or need anyone else to fill this slot.
5.Kedar Jadhav - Jadav has emerged a useful batsman when the situation calls for it. His presence adds depth in batting. His bowling will be an added advantage for us.
6.MS Dhoni - God knows India needs Dhoni’s behind-the-stumps captaincy. His experience could come good in English conditions and in crunch matches in the World Cup. I think he will help us lift the cup and Kohli then needs to lift him after, a repeat of the Dhoni-Sachin moment.
7. Rishabh Pant/ Dinesh Karthik - Both Pant and Karthik can be back-up wicket-keepers but I rest my faith in the kind of firepower Pant has, over DK. This is still a 50-50 thing though. Anyone could slip through.
8. Hardik Pandya
9. Vijay Shankar
Seaming all-rounders are worth their weight in gold in England. They will come in handy in bolstering our attack from either end of the spectrum.
10. Ravindra Jadeja
Besides his all-round capabilities, Jadeja is an asset on the field. Also, who can forget his swording with the bat after that half-century at Lord's?
11. Kuldeep Yadav
12. Yuzvendra Chahal
These two are defacto leg-spinner choices.
13. Mohammad Shami
14. Bhuvneshwar Kumar
15. Jasprit Bumrah
Bhuvi and Bumrah are automatic choices. While containing runs is an issue, they can be lethal when they mind a good line and length. These are our best seamers and I had picked Umesh Yadav over Shami first, but keeping consistency in mind, I’d go with the latter.
Deepak Chahar and Ishant Sharma (the former more than the latter) also have an outside chance.
The writer is a practising advocate at the Madras high court, based in Chennai.
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