(Cricket news) After inflicting a whitewash in the ODIs, India now move onto the 5 match T20 series. Virat Kohli, Yuzvendra Chahal and Jasprit Bumrah have been rested for the series while Kuldeep Yadav and Ravichandran Ashwin return to the squad. India will be looking to win the series convincingly to try and prepare for the Asia Cup in the best possible way. KL Rahul who was originally a part of the squad has not travelled with the team because of Covid and the BCCI has not sent a replacement.

India's ideal playing XI

Openers: Rohit Sharma & Rishabh Pant

In absence of KL Rahul this looks to be India's best opening pair. They opened together in the last two T20s against England and did a good job. It will be unlucky for Ishan Kishan to miss out once again but Pant and Rohit opening the batting is too good a combination to not use. 

Middle order: Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav & Dinesh Karthik

Suryakumar Yadav and Dinesh Karthik have been consistently playing in the Indian team set-up for the past two series. Shreyas Iyer on the other hand could get an opportunity in Virat Kohli's absence. Deepak Hooda has been performing well but Iyer just had a really good ODI series and is in good touch. Hooda does provide a good bowling option as he showed in the ODI series but India already have 6 options and another one would be surplus to needs.

All-rounders: Hardik Pandya & Ravindra Jadeja

India's two star all-rounders will be very important as always. Jadeja missed the ODI series due to injury while Pandya was rested. The pair will be fresh and ready to go. Deepak Hooda and Axar Patel are the other two options while Ravichandran Ashwin could also fit into that role.

Seamers: Harshal Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar & Arshdeep Singh 

Harshal Patel and Bhuvneshwar Kumar have been India's first choice seamers in this format. In absence of Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh definitely deserves an opportunity. He bowled really well in the 1st T20I against England but hasn't got a chance. Avesh Khan is the other option but he is not in the best of forms.

Spinner: Ravi Bishnoi

Bishnoi has been India's 2nd choice spinner after Chahal for quite a while now. Kuldeep Yadav and Ashwin are back in the squad but Bishnoi hasn't done anything wrong to get dropped. A good performance in this series will virtually guarantee Bishnoi's place in the Asia Cup and World Cup squad.

Bench: Ishan Kishan, Deepak Hooda, Axar Patel, R Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Avesh Khan.

Also read: Takeaways from India's whitewash ODI series win over the West Indies