Indian steam vs Irish cream!

India captain Rohit Sharma (left) and Virat Kohli (right) practice on the eve of the T20 World Cup tie against Ireland in New York yesterday. Pics/PTI

All other things being equal, Ireland shouldn't pose India the fiercest of challenges, but especially in 20-over cricket, all other things are seldom equal.

India's latest quest for their first world title since 2011 will kick off at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday when they enter the fray at the T20 World Cup. Having quietly worked on their skills away from the spotlight at Cantiague Park for much of the last week or so, Rohit Sharma's men will believe they are battle-ready against an Irish side that has sometimes run them close but lost all seven head-to-heads between the teams.

One of the big talking points in the lead-up has been who will partner Rohit at the top of the order. Yashasvi Jaiswal's left-handedness is an advantage, undoubtedly, but both in the interests of team balance and with an eye on maximising his recent form following his blazing exploits at the IPL, the nod is likely to go to Virat Kohli, who has taken his T20 batting to an unprecedented level.

Ireland captain Paul Stirling

Kohli's propensity to make the most of the field restrictions brought him 741 attractive runs at an excellent strike rate of 154.69 in IPL 2024. While he might see it as the perfect riposte to those who have questioned his ability to kick on in the T20 game, the questioners will point out that this was exactly the kind of response they had hoped for, because oftentimes in the past, Kohli appeared to play well within himself. If Kohli does slot in alongside Rohit, it should open the door for the inclusion of the explosive Shivam Dube in the middle order.

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Dube, the destroyer

Chennai Super Kings have used Dube as a destroyer of spin over the last couple of years; having beat back Rinku Singh's challenge to earn himself a place in the squad, Dube also offers an additional bowling option that Rohit can fall back on in the event of an emergency.

India's batting wears a formidable look with Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant - who will be playing his first international game since December 2022 - and vice-captain Hardik Pandya lending firepower and experience. For once, with Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel and Dube in the reckoning, India can't complain of the lack of all-round options.

Two-paced pitch

The two-paced Nassau County strip facilitated uneven bounce during the stadium's inaugural match on Monday, when South Africa packed off Sri Lanka for 77. The unpredictable playing surface and an outfield that threatens not to provide value for money will require batters to adapt and adjust, and not come out with a pre-planned approach that might be at odds with the requirements imposed by the nature of the track.

Pace ace Jasprit Bumrah's incandescence and the X-Factor of Kuldeep Yadav should be a handful for Paul Stirling's side, hardly a pushover but definitely not in the same league, no disrespect meant, as the No. 1-ranked T20I team in the world.