India will train in Perth until October 13, where they are also slated to play a practice match against Western Australia, before playing two more practice games against Australia and New Zealand in Brisbane proper ahead of the tournament.
The five members of the Indian team in the T20 World Cup – including standbys – have no experience of playing top-flight cricket in Australia. These are Suryakumar Yadav, Harshal Patel (a trip with Under-19s in 2009), Arshdeep Singh, Deepak Hooda (a trip with Under-19s in 2013) and Ravi Bishnoi. So these games can help these players to get used to better and get ready for more matches.
As things stand, India are waiting on the fitness of Hooda and Bumrah, both currently battling back injuries, at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. While Hooda was ruled out of the South Africa series altogether, Bumrah was dropped from the Indian team on the eve of the first T20I on Wednesday after complaining of back pain.
Bumrah, who missed the Asia Cup with back issues, was only back for the T20I against Australia earlier this month. But now he is back under the care of the medical team at the NCA, where he is believed to have been scanned. Although he has not been completely ruled out of the T20 World Cup, his participation is highly doubted. If injuries to both Hooda and Bumrah are ruled out, it is likely that Chahar and Mohammed Shami will be called up in the main squad.
India reached the T20 World Cup on the basis of extensive preparation. They have been on the road for the past three months, playing T20Is in Ireland, England, the Caribbean, the United Arab Emirates along with home series against Australia and South Africa.
India are in Group 2 in the ICC event along with Pakistan, Bangladesh, South Africa and two qualifiers. Their opener against Pakistan at the MCG on 23 October will be followed by matches on 27 October (qualifiers in Sydney), 30 October (vs South Africa in Perth), 2 November (vs Bangladesh in Adelaide) and 6 November (vs qualifiers) in Melbourne).
Indian squad for T20 World Cup: Rohit Sharma (capt), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dinesh Karthik (wk), Hardik Pandya, R.K. Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah*, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh.
Reserve players: Mohammed Shami, Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, Deepak Chahar.