India's potential side for first T20I

Middle Order

Virat Kohli

Kohli has been splendid in the South African series

Virat Kohli will be returning back to the T20 team after a break in the Lankan series. The Indian captain would be looking to continue his splendid run in the T20 series as well.

Kohli has been India's leading run scorer in ODIs and Tests and has been instrumental in India's triumph in the ODI series

Suresh Raina

Raina is back in the Indian team after a gap of a year

Suresh Raina last played in India colours in February last year. He is back after a year and one would expect him to get a place in the playing X1.

Raina has a prolific record in the shortest format of the game and Indian fans would be eagerly waiting to see him back in action and would hope that Raina finds back a permanent place in the team.

Manish Pandey

Pandey will be looking to play his first game of the series

Manish Pandey has been warming the bench throughout the South African series and he would probably be getting a chance in the first T20 match. He had a decent series against the Lankans scoring a 33 in the 2nd T20 in Mumbai.

Dinesh Karthik, Shreyas Iyer are the other options for Kohli but since Pandey has been a regular member of the T20 side since last year, one would expect him to get a place ahead of Karthik and Iyer.