India vs England Highlights, T20 World Cup 2021: India convincingly beat England in warm-up game

Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah are expected to be the two pacers but if the team plays a spinner less, then Shardul Thakur's inclusion will provide the depth required.

Similarly, in the spin bowling department, Ravindra Jadeja may have two spinners playing with him and Varun Chakravarthy is all but confirmed if he remains fit. The third spinner's choice is between Rahul Chahar's leg-breaks and R Ashwin's off-breaks.

Hardik is another big factor in this line-up as chances of him bowling full tilt or for that matter bowling at all are very less. In this situation if the team punts on him, expecting that his 'MS Dhoni-esque' helicopter shots will come off, they would have to decide which is a better slot for him.

Kishan was brilliant as Rohit's opening partner in the last two games as he nearly took Mumbai Indians into the play-offs with two blazing fifties. If Rahul is the team's preferred choice, Kishan might just force Hardik into the No. 6 slot in the batting order, which is ideal for a finisher. For MI, both Hardik and Kishan had underwhelming returns in the UAE leg.

Vice-captain Rohit Sharma is a certainty at the top but it would be a tough choice between Ishan Kishan and KL Rahul as his opening partner. It could well be a case where both are given a fair go at the top of the order to see who is in better touch. Rahul will be the favourite considering that he has the experience of playing pressure matches and is in good form having amassed 626 runs (including 30 sixes) at a strike-rate of 138.80 in 14 IPL games. Such numbers make him the favourite to pip Kishan but it is worth mentioning that Rahul's statistic improved substantially during an inconsequential game for Punjab Kings against Chennai Super Kings, in which he scored 98 not out off 42 balls.

Against England and the Wednesday's game versus Australia, the Indian team management would look to give the players who are still not automatic choices in the playing XI, more overs to bat or bowl to get a better idea about their current form.

With all the Indian players coming straight from the recently-concluded IPL, match practice isn't a problem for Kohli and his men but getting the perfect combination on the park before the high-profile opening game against Pakistan on October 24 is a priority.

All-rounder Hardik Pandya's form and few batting slots will be foremost on captain Virat Kohli's mind as India look to make the most of the two warm-up matches starting with a game against England.

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the T20 World Cup warm-up clash between India and England in Dubai.