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India Champions will take on South Africa Champions in the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2026 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on October 10. The Indian side will look to deliver a strong performance against the defending champions and strengthen its position in the competition.
India Champions have a squad filled with experienced international players, including Yuvraj Singh, Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu, Yusuf Pathan and Irfan Pathan. Their combination of explosive batting and experienced bowling options gives them the resources to challenge South Africa, who boast several renowned names, including AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis and Imran Tahir.
South Africa Champions began their campaign impressively, defeating West Indies Champions by 97 runs. Richard Levi and AB de Villiers starred with the bat, while Imran Tahir and Aaron Phangiso claimed three wickets each. India will therefore need a balanced lineup capable of competing against both their opponents’ power-hitters and experienced bowling attack.
Here is the predicted India Champions playing XI for the contest.
Robin Uthappa is expected to open the innings and take responsibility behind the stumps. The former India batter was known for his aggressive approach in limited-overs cricket and can make full use of the powerplay.
His ability to attack pace and find gaps early could help India establish a strong platform. Against South Africa’s experienced seamers, Uthappa will need to combine his natural attacking instincts with careful shot selection.
Ambati Rayudu is likely to partner Uthappa at the top of the order. His experience across domestic and franchise cricket makes him a dependable option against a varied bowling attack.
Rayudu can rotate the strike when the field is spread and accelerate when the bowlers miss their lengths. His partnership with Uthappa could be important in ensuring India avoid early setbacks.
Stuart Binny could bat at No. 3, offering India flexibility with both bat and ball. The right-hander can provide stability after an early wicket while possessing enough power to increase the scoring rate.
His medium pace could also give India an additional bowling option, particularly if South Africa’s powerful top order builds a partnership.
Yuvraj Singh is expected to lead India Champions and occupy a crucial middle-order position. The left-hander’s ability to dominate spin and clear the boundary makes him one of India’s most dangerous batters.
Yuvraj’s experience in high-pressure matches will be particularly valuable against a South African side featuring Imran Tahir and Aaron Phangiso. He will need to judge the conditions quickly and decide when to attack the spinners.
As captain, Yuvraj will also have to make important tactical decisions against a lineup capable of scoring rapidly throughout the innings.
Yusuf Pathan is likely to provide India with explosive middle-order batting. The former India all-rounder is renowned for his ability to change a match within a few overs through powerful hitting.
His role could become especially important in the final stages of the innings, when India will look to maximise their scoring rate. Yusuf’s off-spin also provides Yuvraj with another option if South Africa’s right-handed batters settle at the crease.
Naman Ojha could feature as a specialist wicketkeeper-batter if India decide to include an additional top-order option. His experience in domestic cricket and franchise tournaments makes him a useful member of the squad.
However, with Uthappa also available as a wicketkeeper, Ojha’s selection may depend on the balance India want between batting depth and bowling resources.
Irfan Pathan is expected to play an important all-round role. The left-arm seamer can swing the new ball and provide valuable runs down the order.
His ability to move the ball away from right-handers could be useful against South Africa’s top order, while his batting gives India another player capable of accelerating late in the innings.
Rishi Dhawan is a strong candidate to feature as a seam-bowling all-rounder. He offers control with the ball and can contribute useful runs in the lower middle order.
His medium pace could prove effective if he varies his speed and targets the stumps. Against aggressive batters such as Richard Levi and AB de Villiers, disciplined lengths will be essential.
Harbhajan Singh could lead India’s spin attack. The veteran off-spinner brings considerable experience and is capable of building pressure through accurate bowling.
His contest against South Africa’s middle order will be important, particularly if the surface offers some assistance to spin. Harbhajan’s ability to vary his flight and pace could help India break partnerships.
Piyush Chawla is another strong option in the spin department. His leg-spin provides a different challenge from Harbhajan’s off-spin and gives India a wicket-taking option during the middle overs.
South Africa have several experienced players who are comfortable against spin, so Chawla will need to use his variations effectively and avoid allowing the batters to settle.
Dhawal Kulkarni could complete the XI as a specialist fast bowler. His experience in limited-overs cricket makes him a useful option with the new ball and during the closing overs.
India will need early wickets to prevent South Africa’s powerful batting lineup from building momentum. Kulkarni’s accuracy and ability to maintain disciplined lengths could be important in that regard.
| No. | Player |
| 1 | Robin Uthappa (wk) |
| 2 | Ambati Rayudu |
| 3 | Stuart Binny |
| 4 | Yuvraj Singh (c) |
| 5 | Yusuf Pathan |
| 6 | Naman Ojha |
| 7 | Irfan Pathan |
| 8 | Rishi Dhawan |
| 9 | Harbhajan Singh |
| 10 | Piyush Chawla |
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