ICC Champions Trophy 2017

[Prithvi]

I say Rahane because if he doesn't open he is not going to help teams cause coming in afterwards. Someone like Uthappa has shown he can come and play his shots. Maybe in place of Pandey, he should have been given a go as it would have meant we had a back up keeper too.

I strongly feel Rahane would be playing a role of opener in the squad. Considering the form, Dhawan is likely to warm bench.

 

[Bigby Wolf]

The two warmup matches would be crucial in deciding the playing xi for the main tournament. Remember last time when Rohit was made opener and DK due to his 2 back to back hundreds in warmups made it into the playing xi.

 

[LiveLoveABD]

Playing XI for India IMO

M Pandey
R Sharma
V Kohli
Y Singh
MS Dhoni
K Jadhav
H Pandya
R Jadeja
B Kumar
U Yadav
J Bumrah

 

[Gaurav_7]

I will be happy if they open with Pandey. He is a future prospect and hence can do really good top the order. As I said, Rahane and Dhawan don't fit anywhere in the XI apart from opening the innings. Pandey coming down the order is a waste of his talent especially as we have Jadhav who has turned to be some finisher in the last year or so. I am a huge Rahane fan but if he isn't opening he shouldn't play.

 

[zwarrior]

I will be happy if they open with Pandey. He is a future prospect and hence can do really good top the order. As I said, Rahane and Dhawan don't fit anywhere in the XI apart from opening the innings. Pandey coming down the order is a waste of his talent especially as we have Jadhav who has turned to be some finisher in the last year or so. I am a huge Rahane fan but if he isn't opening he shouldn't play.

Exactly !
But I am pretty sure they will bench Pandey.

 

[Gaurav_7]

Yeah like in every other series.

 

[Till Valhalla]

In my opinion Umesh , Bhuvi and Shami should be our first choice.

 

[SaiSrini]

More or less the team I initially predicted (though recently I did want some changes, which obviously the selection panel didn't see)

I think Dhawan will be first choice opener in the XI and rightly so. He is more attacking than Rahane and he is obviously picked because of his exploits in the last CT in the same country. Rohit being the slow 'accumulator' kind (and more so in foreign conditions where Rohit takes more time to settle), its imperative that India pick Dhawan in the XI unless he is injured. Rahane and Rohit together playing slow initially will mean everything will be left for Kohli, Yuvraj, MSD to do in the lower middle and end overs and atleast two of them are on the wane and at the wee end of their careers and its a massive burden to put on them.

Bowling wise, it looks good. Against Pakistan, I would go with a 6-5 combo since we have Hardik as the 7th batsman and Jadeja and Ashwin both can bat. Most of the tournament, I will go with 6-5 combo unless the wicket is such a hardcore greentop that we don't need a 5th bowler.

 

[Saroj padhy]

Mark my word.. Shikhar Dhawan will open for India..
He comes under special reserved quota...

Anyways AUS and SAF are the 2 deserving team to play in the final..

 

[asprin]

^ Strange that you're not giving the home team any chance. England's ODI side is no muck.

 

[SaiSrini]

In my opinion Umesh , Bhuvi and Shami should be our first choice.

Impossible. Bumrah is India's No. 1 limited overs bowler. There's no way he will lose out to Umesh.

 

[Till Valhalla]

Impossible. Bumrah is India's No. 1 limited overs bowler. There's no way he will lose out to Umesh.

My opinion ra.

 

[Saroj padhy]

^ Strange that you're not giving the home team any chance. England's ODI side is no muck.

Yes obviously... They have got a good side, Morgan is one of my favorite among them.. But South Africa got a deadly bowling lineup even without Steyn.. Rabada, Morkel, Tahir, Morris etc. And their batting lineup is a threat with so much experience..

 

[Till Valhalla]

England lacks the "X" factor or the "it" factor.

 

[asprin]

England lacks the "X" factor or the "it" factor.

Funny, because it felt like they had gained the "X" factor like last year (in ODI format)