India's predicted XI for 2019 World Cup

The planning for next year's ICC World Cup had begun late last year and as the Indian team get set to travel to England for the ODI and T20 series, the selectors will get the best idea about the players who should make the cut in 2019.

There have been sparkling performances in the ongoing Indian Premier League and few of the players have also been rewarded with national call-ups, but then how these players perform in the England series will determine whether or not they secure their World Cup slot.

Here in this slider, we try to predict the Indian team which might take the field for the 2019 World Cup.

Openers

Rohit Sharma

Perhaps the best opener in the white ball format, Rohit Sharma will most definitely walk out to face the new ball and in England where the pitches are flaccid and the ball generally comes nicely on to the bat, he will be one of India's biggest assets.

Shikhar Dhawan

Accompanying Rohit will the flamboyant Shikhar Dhawan and barring any last-minute injuries, the left-right combination at the top of the order is almost certain for the Indian team.

Also, Dhawan has been in rich form over the past 15 months and his record in ICC events is exemplary.

Top Order

Kohli at number three will control the innings

Virat Kohli

The Indian captain will walk out at number three and will look to do what he does best; score centuries and win matches for the side.

There is little doubt over his prowess as an ODI batsman, but he will be leading the side in a World Cup and there is bound to be pressure. How he handles this pressure and works around it might well define India's campaign.

KL Rahul

Perhaps the biggest enigma in Indian cricket over the last 15 months, KL Rahul has finally found his reckoning in the ongoing IPL where he is peeling off runs for fun.

He has the technique and temperament and all the strokes in the book to be successful across all the three formats and in all conditions which is just what India would want from him come 2019.

Middle Order

Dhoni and Karthik will add solidity to the batting

Dinesh Karthik

The wicket-keeper batsman might play as a genuine number five for India in England owing to his renewed prowess with the bat in the lower middle order.

He has the experience and has now added strokes and temperament to finish off games which makes him an ideal candidate to walk out at number five.

MS Dhoni

India's World Cup-winning captain back in 2011 will be needed too, both behind the stumps and then in front of it. He has wound the clock back to his heydays this IPL with his clean striking and remarkable consistency.

Dhoni has been finishing games off once again for CSK and India would hope he carries this form over to England in 2019.

All-rounder

Pandya will be crucial

with

his

all-round

skills

Hardik Pandya

He might not have set the stage on fire with his performances, but there is little doubt regarding the potential of Hardik Pandya as a seam-bowling all-rounder and he will most definitely make the side for next year's World Cup.

While his bowling has seen a remarkable improvement, he has to improve his game with the bat, more so against the seamers.

Seamers

Bhuvneshwar holds the key with the ball

Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Bhuvneshwar Kumar might well be the most complete bowler for India across all the three formats and he is a sure starter for the team in England.

With the new ball, he has the ability to pick up wickets with his seam and swing and then with a plethora of variations up his sleeve, he can also befuddle batsmen and get their wickets during the end overs.

Jasprit Bumrah

The most-improved bowler for India over the last 12-15 months, Jasprit Bumrah will be the x-factor in the bowling attack. With his ability to force the issue at any stage of the innings, he will be one of the go-to bowlers for Kohli.

Watch out for him at the back end of the innings, watch out for those toe-crushing yorkers, watch out for those slower balls!

Spinners

The wrist-spinners will be India's trump card

Kuldeep Yadav

The young chinaman bowler is perhaps one of the most difficult bowlers to pick from the hand meaning the batsmen are forced to play him off the pitch.

He has control and confidence and can pick up wickets during the middle stage of the innings which is crucial in controlling the flow of the game.

Yuzvendra Chahal

The leggie is the ideal foil for Yadav as he relies on control, and changes of pace and trajectory to flummox the batsmen. The duo will prove to be quite a handful in England as the surfaces generally do not spin, but then this is where wrist spinners come in handy as they have the ability to extract assistance from any surface.