There are slight chances that the Indian team management might include Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as the openers for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024 to fit an additional pace-bowling all-rounder Shivam Dube in the middle order. In such scenarios, Indian left-handed opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal might be dropped from the playing XI.
Since the announcement of the 15-member squad, there has been a huge debate among fans and experts about the Indian cricket team’s best-playing XI combination.
Team India’s top five comprises four key batters namely the captain , Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, the vice-captain Hardik Pandya, and a wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant or Sanju Samson.
For an additional spot, there is a direct battle between Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shivam Dube. These are the two situations where either any one of them could be dropped:
- If Yashasvi Jaiswal plays, he will open up with Rohit. Then there wouldn’t be any space left for Dube in the middle order that features core players like Kohli, Suryakumar, Pant or Samson and Hardik Pandya.
- Dube might bat at the No.3 or No.4 position if Jaiswal is dropped and Kohli would open with Rohit.
Let’s compare the runs scored by Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shivam Dube in T20Is and IPL 2024 to determine the best-talented player in the playing XI. Also, it is important to find out if Axar Patel or Ravindra Jadeja would be picked as the first choice for the No.7 position. Most importantly, predicting the bowling combination helps to figure out Dube’s chances in the playing XI.
Yashasvi Jaiswal vs Shivam Dube: Runs scored in T20Is and IPL 2024
Here is the detailed comparison of the runs scored by Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shivam Dube in T20Is and IPL 2024:
| Player | Role | T20I Runs | Highest score in T20I | IPL 2024 Runs | Overall Runs in IPL |
| Yashasvi Jaiswal | Left-Handed batter | 502 runs in 16 innings (9 half-centuries and 2-centuries) | 100 | 435 runs in 15 innings ( 1 half-century and 1 century) | 1,607 runs in 52 innings |
| Shivam Dube | All- Rounder (Left-Handed batter and Right-arm medium) | 276 runs in 14 innings (3 half-centuries) | 63 | 396 runs in 14 innings (3 half-centuries) | 1,502 runs in 61 innings |
Ravindra Jadeja vs Axar Patel: The first choice to get selected for the No.7 position
Although there are chances for Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel to play together, let us assume Team India needs only a spin-bowling all-rounder. Who would get the choice — Axar Patel or Ravindra Jadeja?
Considering factors like reputation and experience, Jadeja will be the automatic pick for his excellent bowling and fielding skills. Also, he can prove to be the best finishing batter at the No.7 position. However, Jadeja has played only a few T20I cricket in the past two years compared to Axar.
At the same time, Axar Patel is nothing less in the T20Is and since 2023, he has taken 15 wickets in 14 T20I innings at an average of 27.14, an economy rate of 6.8, and an exceptional strike rate of 157.
Jadeja (267 runs in 5 innings at a 44.50 average and 142.78 strike rate) has performed better with the bat than Axar (235 runs in 4 innings at a 29.38 average) in IPL 2024.
In contrast, Axar Patel (11 wickets in 14 matches with an average of 30.64 and 7.66 economy rate) delivered an effective performance as a spin bowler than Ravindra Jadeja ( 8 wickets in 14 matches with an average of 46.13 and 7.85 economy rate).
Finally, it is a tricky choice to choose either Jadeja or Axar as the only bowling all-rounder.
Bowling Combination Problems
Despite the pace bowling all-rounder Hardik Pandya wasn’t in good form in IPL 2024, he still got selected as the vice-captain, which creates additional problems with the bowling combination.
Hardik as a middle-order batter and medium pacer can result in these two possible combinations for the bowling unit:
- Three Spinners + two pacers + Hardik Pandya
- Two spinners + Three pacers + Hardik Pandya
Also, Team India has three pacers in the squad namely Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Arshdeep Singh. If Rohit Sharma opts for two pacers in the squad, then Siraj or Arshdeep will be competing for a spot to pair with Bumrah.
Furthermore, these might be the spin bowling combination, if Team India decides to play with three spinners:
- Axar,Patel, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav
- Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal
- Axar Patel , Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal
- Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja and Yuzvendra Chahal
Conclusion:
Finally, Yashasvi Jaiswal gets a maximum preference over Shivam Dube to be a part of the playing XI This is because Yashasvi has scored more runs than Dube in T20 internationals and IPL. Also, Jaiswal scored 39 runs more than Dube in this IPL season. Moreover, Jaiswal has more experience batting on overseas pitches when compared to Dube.
Suppose the Indian cricket team management feels that they need an aggressive opener along with Rohit Sharma; Yashasvi Jaiswal will add more value to the batting lineup in powerplay overs than Dube’s six-hitting abilities in the middle overs. Based on the opening combination of Rohit and Yashasvi in the homeT20I series against Afghanistan in 2024; the 22-year-old batter might get a chance as an opening batter.
On the other side, the opening combination of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will open up all kinds of possible options including either Shivam Dube or Axar Patel as an additional all-rounder along with Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya. There are fewer chances for Sanju Samson to be included in the batting lineup; despite his best wicketkeeping skills, due to his lack of experience batting in the middle order.
At the same time, there are risks of Rohit-Kohli’s opening stand that might drag the team’s performance in the powerplay overs. After a poor performance in the T20 World Cup 2022; any cricket fan would feel that Team India would rather lose their wickets in the powerplay with an aggressive approach than fail due to being overprotective.
Ultimately, we will observe the best playing XI combination soon; as Team India starts their T20 World Cup campaign on June 5 against Ireland.