Former India National Cricket Team head coach Ravi Shastri has named his India playing XI for the first match of the five-match SA T20I series, although Dinesh Karthik and Venkatesh Iyer have been left out of the squad. The Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi will host the first encounter of the five-match T20I series between KL Rahul’s India and Temba Bavuma’s South Africa on June 9.

Shastri chose Ruturaj Gaikwad as KL Rahul’s opening partner for the first T20I during an appearance on Star Sports’ ‘Game Plan,’ and he inserted Ishan Kishan at No. 3.

According to Shastri, “I think they will go with the guys they will want to see first – the Rahuls, the Ruturaj Gaikwads – maybe they will open. They will probably give Ishan (Kishan) a break in this game or bat him at three.”

Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, and Hardik Pandya are the next three batters chosen by the previous India head coach. He stated, “If you bat him (Ishan) at three, then it will be Shreyas (Iyer) at No. 4, (Rishabh) Pant at No. 5, and Hardik (Pandya) at No. 6.”

Axar Patel, a spin-bowling all-rounder, was chosen at No. 7 with Yuzvendra Chahal as his spin-bowling partner by former India head coach Yuzvendra Chahal. He also added pacers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Harshal Patel to the squad, as well as announced that one of the newcomers, Arshdeep Singh and Umran Malik, will play depending on the circumstances.

He went on to say: “No. 7 will be Axar Patel. I think eight will be Bhuvneshwar Kumar batting-wise, then Chahal, Arshdeep Singh/Umran Malik, and Harshal Patel. Umran or Arshdeep depending on the ground and what the pitch is like.

“I think if Bhuvi plays, then Umran is better because Bhuvi can do a job for you at the death. But then again you are looking for someone at the death, they are looking to develop that bowler. So if Harshal is going to do that, he plays that game.”

According to Ravi Shashtri, the playing XI of India in the first T20I should be, KL Rahul, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh/Umran Malik, Harshal Patel.