India’s playing XI from KL Rahul's T20I debut: Where are they now?

With Rohit Sharma being rested for the five-match T20I series against South Africa, KL Rahul will lead Team India in the contest, which starts on Thursday (June 9). The 30-year-old recently captained the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in IPL 2022, guiding them to the playoffs. He had a good time with the bat as well, scoring 616 runs in 15 matches at an average of 51.33.

Before taking charge of LSG, Rahul was also named skipper for the ODI series in South Africa earlier in the year after Rohit was ruled out due to injury. However, he had a torrid time as leader as India were blanked 3-0. The five-match T20I series against South Africa will provide yet another opportunity for the elegant batter to prove his credentials as a leader.

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Indian XI from KL Rahul’s T20I debut - Then and now

Rahul made his T20I debut against Zimbabwe in Harare on June 18, 2016. It was an inauspicious start as he was bowled for a golden duck by Donald Tiripano. Chasing a target of 171, India went on to lose the match by two runs.

Apart from Rahul, Mandeep Singh, Rishi Dhawan, Jaydev Unadkat and Yuzvendra Chahal also made their T20I debuts in the same match. Here's a look at what members of the playing XI from Rahul’s debut T20I are doing now.

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Mandeep Singh

Opening the innings with Rahul, Mandeep made an impressive T20I debut, scoring 31 off 27 balls. Mandeep scored a half-century in the second T20I before being dismissed for four in the third match of the series. He hasn’t represented India since.

The 30-year-old was part of the Delhi Capitals (DC) in IPL 2022. He did not enjoy a great season, managing just 18 runs in three matches. Mandeep is currently representing Punjab in the 2022 Ranji Trophy quarter-final against Madhya Pradesh in Alur.

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Ambati Rayudu

Ambati Rayudu scored 19 in the T20I against Zimbabwe in 2016. He has played 55 ODIs and six T20Is for India. Despite averaging a healthy 47.05 in one-dayers, he was controversially dropped from the Indian team for the 2019 World Cup. In July of the same year, he announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. A month later, though, he made a U-turn.

The 36-year-old was part of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) franchise in IPL 2022. He had a poor tournament, scoring 274 runs in 13 games. He announced his IPL retirement during the competition but reversed his decision again after talks with CSK management.

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Manish Pandey

Team India batter Manish Pandey. Pic: Getty Images

Manish Pandey top-scored for India with 48 off 35 in the Harare T20I. Despite repeated opportunities, he has failed to establish himself in the Indian squad in white-ball formats. The 32-year-old has played 29 ODIs and 39 T20Is, but last represented the country in July 2021.

Pandey had a poor IPL 2022 campaign, scoring 88 runs in six matches for LSG. Captaining Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy 2022 quarter-final against Uttar Pradesh in Alur, he was dismissed for 27 and four in his two innings. Karnataka lost the match by five wickets.

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Kedar Jadhav

Batting all-rounder Kedar Jadhav was bowled for 19 off 13 balls in Rahul's T20I debut against Zimbabwe. He went on to represent India in 73 ODIs and nine T20Is, even featuring in the 2019 50-over World Cup. His last game for the country was a one-dayer against New Zealand in Auckland in February 2020. The 37-year-old went unsold at the IPL 2022 auction. He continues to represent Maharashtra in domestic cricket.

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MS Dhoni

MS Dhoni was the captain when Rahul made his international debut in the shortest format. The legendary keeper-batter remained unbeaten on 19 off 17 deliveries, failing to take Team India over the line. Dhoni continued to represent India until the 2019 World Cup, although he seemed past his prime. He took a break from international cricket after the ICC event and announced his international retirement in August 2020.

Dhoni led CSK in the second half of IPL 2022 after Ravindra Jadeja handed the captaincy back to him midway through the season. He has confirmed that he will be back to lead the franchise next year as well.

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Axar Patel

Left-arm spinner Axar Patel. Pic: Getty Images

Axar Patel hammered 18 off nine deliveries in the T20I against Zimbabwe. However, he was out in the last over as the hosts sneaked home. The left-arm spinner has since established himself as a valuable bowling all-rounder for the Indian team across formats. He has made a terrific start to his Test career, claiming 39 wickets in six matches. The 28-year-old represented DC in IPL 2022, picking up six wickets in 13 games.

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Rishi Dhawan

Rishi Dhawan got the wicket of Chamu Chibhabha for 20 on his T20I debut. However, he was expensive, going for 42 runs in his four overs. With the bat, he was unbeaten on one off two deliveries.

The 32-year-old had a terrific Vijay Hazare Trophy, scoring 458 runs in eight matches for Himachal Pradesh and claiming 17 wickets with his medium pace. He represented the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in IPL 2022. Dhawan played six matches, taking six wickets and scoring 37 runs.

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Jasprit Bumrah

Pacer Jasprit Bumrah had impressive figures of two for 24 in Rahul’s T20I debut match. He has gone on to establish himself as Team India’s pace spearhead across formats.

Bumrah has claimed over 100 wickets in both Tests and ODIs, while he has 67 wickets in 57 T20Is. Rested for the T20I series against South Africa, Bumrah claimed 15 wickets in 14 games for the Mumbai Indians (MI), with a best of five for 10.

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Jaydev Unadkat

Left-arm seamer Jaydev Unadkat went wicketless on his T20I debut and proved expensive as well, conceding 43 runs. The 30-year-old has represented India in one Test, seven ODIs and 10 T20Is. He last played a match for India in March 2018. He represented MI in IPL 2022 and picked up six wickets in five matches.

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Yuzvendra Chahal

Yuzvendra Chahal celebrates a wicket with teammates. Pic: Getty Images

Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, who also made his T20I debut alongside Rahul in the Harare encounter, returned with figures of one for 38. Chahal went on to establish himself as a key member of the limited-overs outfit for the next couple of years, and formed a great pair with left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav.

A loss in form saw him being dropped from the team for the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE. Chahal was also released by the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) ahead of IPL 2022. Picked up by the Rajasthan Royals (RR), he claimed 27 wickets and won the Purple Cap. Chahal is part of the Rahul-led squad which will take on South Africa in the five-match T20I series starting on Thursday (June 9).

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