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India Champions will aim to strengthen their position in the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2026 when they take on Bangladesh Champions in the league stage at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Sunday, October 11. The contest will give India’s former international stars another opportunity to showcase their experience and firepower in the T20 format.
India have a squad packed with accomplished batters, all-rounders and experienced bowlers. Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu and Yuvraj Singh bring considerable batting experience, while Yusuf Pathan and Irfan Pathan provide valuable all-round options. Harbhajan Singh, Piyush Chawla and Mohit Sharma add depth to the bowling department. These players are part of India’s announced squad for the tournament.
WCL 2026: India Champions’ predicted playing XI vs Bangladesh Champions
This is a predicted lineup based on squad composition, not an officially confirmed playing XI.
Robin Uthappa is a strong candidate to open the innings. Known for his ability to attack during the powerplay, the right-hander can put pressure on Bangladesh’s bowlers by finding gaps and capitalising on loose deliveries. His experience in domestic T20 cricket and the Indian Premier League could be particularly useful on a ground where a quick start can shape the innings.
Uthappa’s role will be to give India momentum without taking unnecessary risks early on. If he settles in, he can turn a steady start into a substantial powerplay score.
Ambati Rayudu could partner Uthappa at the top, offering a combination of timing, placement and attacking intent. Rayudu has experience batting in different positions, which makes him a flexible option for India’s management.
His ability to rotate the strike will be important against Bangladesh’s spin options. If India lose an early wicket, Rayudu can help rebuild the innings; if the openers start well, he can maintain the scoring rate and keep the pressure on the opposition.
Naman Ojha is a contender for the wicketkeeper’s role and could bat in the top order. His inclusion would allow India to use Robin Uthappa and Ambati Rayudu as specialist batting options while retaining a recognised keeper.
Ojha’s challenge will be to provide stability before accelerating. He can also be an important voice behind the stumps, particularly when Bangladesh’s spinners operate and India need to identify opportunities for attacking fields.
Yuvraj Singh remains one of India’s most exciting batting options in a legends competition. His clean hitting and ability to target spin make him a potential game-changer in the middle overs.
Yuvraj demonstrated his impact in India’s tournament opener against Australia Champions, scoring 71 off 44 balls as India posted 196/7 and won by 46 runs. That performance underlined his ability to control an innings while still scoring quickly. He could again be central to India’s plans against Bangladesh.
Yusuf Pathan’s power makes him an ideal middle-order aggressor. He can clear the boundary against both pace and spin, making him especially valuable if India need a strong finish.
His bowling also gives the captain an additional option, although his primary responsibility is likely to be with the bat. A partnership between Yusuf and Yuvraj could help India build a challenging total.
Stuart Binny offers balance through his ability to contribute with both bat and ball. He could be used as a finisher if wickets remain in hand, or asked to rebuild if India suffer a middle-order collapse.
His medium pace would also provide an alternative to India’s specialist bowling options. On a surface where variations and changes of pace can be effective, Binny’s flexibility could prove useful.
Irfan Pathan is another important all-round option. He can add late-order runs and provide left-arm pace, giving India a different angle in the bowling attack.
His ability to swing the ball could be particularly useful in the opening overs. If he finds movement early, India may be able to put Bangladesh’s top order under pressure before the batters settle.
Harbhajan Singh brings extensive international experience and could lead India’s spin attack. His off-spin may be particularly effective against batters who struggle to rotate the strike against experienced spinners.
Harbhajan’s task will be to maintain control through the middle overs while looking for wickets. His experience reading batters and adjusting his pace could help India prevent Bangladesh from building a late-innings launchpad.
Piyush Chawla provides another wicket-taking spin option. His leg-spin could complement Harbhajan’s off-spin, allowing India to attack from both ends and force Bangladesh’s batters to adjust to different trajectories.
The conditions at Sharjah and the nature of the pitch will influence how much India rely on spin. Chawla’s inclusion would give the captain flexibility if the surface offers grip.
Mohit Sharma could play a crucial role with his variations and ability to bowl at different stages of an innings. His slower deliveries and change of pace may be valuable when Bangladesh look to accelerate.
He could be used during the middle overs as well as at the death, depending on the match situation. Limiting boundary balls will be vital against a Bangladesh lineup featuring experienced campaigners.
Dhawal Kulkarni completes the predicted XI as a specialist pace option. He can share the new-ball responsibilities with Irfan Pathan and offer India another experienced bowler to target the stumps and exploit any early movement.
India will need a disciplined start with the ball to prevent Bangladesh from gaining momentum. Kulkarni’s control and experience could be important in that phase.
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