Irfan Pathan picks his playing XI for India's T20 WC opener against Ireland

Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan has revealed his playing XI for India's first match in the T20 World Cup 2024 against Ireland. 

Pathan believes that Rishabh Pant should be used at No. 3 during the opener, a tactic that proved successful in the warm-up match against Bangladesh. Pathan believes that Pant's aggressive batting style and left-handed approach make him a valuable asset in the powerplay. 

"I like the idea of Rishabh Pant at No. 3 because you get a left-handed batter at that position. If Pant bats in the powerplay, the strategy of trapping him on the off-side may not work because only two players will be outside the 30-yard circle. So, we can see any side of Rishabh Pant," Pathan said on Star Sports.

Pathan also selected Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, and Hardik Pandya for the lineup.

In the bowling department, Pathan opted for Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav as spinners, complemented by three pacers: Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, and Mohammed Siraj. 

Looking ahead to India's matches in the West Indies, Pathan expressed interest in including Axar Patel as an all-rounder at No. 8. However, for the game against Ireland, Axar won't feature in his playing XI.

"I want to see three pacers because they are playing in the USA. Once they go to West Indies, change the three fast bowlers to two and you can have an extra batting option in Axar Patel who can come at No. 8. But I will not include Axar in my playing XI for the game against Ireland," he further added.

Irfan Pathan's playing XI for India's match against Ireland: 

Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj.