By Our Special Correspondent
There is no surprise in the 15-member Indian squad for the T20 World Cup, which is set to begin in Australia from October 16. Fast bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel — ruled out for India's Asia Cup. Campaign with back and rib injuries respectively - included for the trip Down Under after clearing fitness tests.
The Asia Cup debacle in the UAE has raised some serious doubts about whether India can be considered favorites. However, the selectors and team management chose to retain faith in the batting group as they failed to get past the group stages, having performed well in bilateral T20Is since the last T20 World Cup.
Captain Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav and Deepak Hooda have five batsmen in the 15-member squad. Dinesh Karthik and Rishabh Pant got the two wicket-keeping slots that were the talk of the selectors on Monday. While the former's place was never in doubt as the only role-specific batter in the team, there were some concerns about Pant's position.
However, with Ravindra Jadeja - who would surely have been in the XI if not injured - unavailable, Pant was always going to be an automatic pick, as well as the only left-hander in the batting unit.
For the three all-rounder’s slot, the selectors have gone with Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin and Akshar Patel. One spinner spot has gone to leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, meaning there is no place for Ravi Bishnoi.
The only way a leg-spinner can get a look-in is if the selectors want to drop someone like Ashwin. However, the off-spinner enjoys strong support from the team management and captain as they believe he can play a big role in the World Cup.
With injuries to Burma and Harshal, the recall of Mohammad Shami to the squad for the World Cup was seriously considered. The Bengal pacer had a prolific IPL with Gujarat Titans where he took 20 wickets. He has not played a single T20 International match since the last T20 World Cup.
However, Shami remained in the reserves and was included for the two home series against Australia and South Africa before the World Cup. Bumrah, Harshal, Arshdeep Singh and Bhunveswar Kumar are the four pacers in the World Cup. Along with batter Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Chahar has also been included in the standbys.
However, with Suryakumar Yadav being higher in the pecking order and missing a place in the top-three, chances of him finding a slot in the XI are slim. Slotting Hooda - a role he is not used to - at Nos 6 & 7 ahead of Karthik, who excels in the finisher role, is detrimental.
Axar's inclusion in the XI means India will also have a left-hander in the batting order, and could open the way for Karthik to play ahead of Pant.
India is certainly not short of resources in the 15-man squad. But how they manage those resources will ultimately seal their fate.
T20 World Cup: Rohit (C), Rahul (vc), Kohli, Suryakumar, Hooda, Pant (wk), Karthik (wk), Hardik, Ashwin, Chahal, Axar, Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar, Harshal, Arshdeep. Standbys- Shami, Shreyas, Bishnoi, Chahar. * Shami and Chahar included for Australia and South Africa T20Is. Arshdeep will miss the former and Bhuvneshwar the latter.There is no surprise in the 15-member Indian squad for the T20 World Cup, which is set to begin in Australia from October 16. Fast bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel — ruled out for India's Asia Cup. Campaign with back and rib injuries respectively - included for the trip Down Under after clearing fitness tests.
The Asia Cup debacle in the UAE has raised some serious doubts about whether India can be considered favorites. However, the selectors and team management chose to retain faith in the batting group as they failed to get past the group stages, having performed well in bilateral T20Is since the last T20 World Cup.
Captain Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav and Deepak Hooda have five batsmen in the 15-member squad. Dinesh Karthik and Rishabh Pant got the two wicket-keeping slots that were the talk of the selectors on Monday. While the former's place was never in doubt as the only role-specific batter in the team, there were some concerns about Pant's position.
However, with Ravindra Jadeja - who would surely have been in the XI if not injured - unavailable, Pant was always going to be an automatic pick, as well as the only left-hander in the batting unit.
For the three all-rounder’s slot, the selectors have gone with Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin and Akshar Patel. One spinner spot has gone to leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, meaning there is no place for Ravi Bishnoi.
The only way a leg-spinner can get a look-in is if the selectors want to drop someone like Ashwin. However, the off-spinner enjoys strong support from the team management and captain as they believe he can play a big role in the World Cup.
With injuries to Burma and Harshal, the recall of Mohammad Shami to the squad for the World Cup was seriously considered. The Bengal pacer had a prolific IPL with Gujarat Titans where he took 20 wickets. He has not played a single T20 International match since the last T20 World Cup.
However, Shami remained in the reserves and was included for the two home series against Australia and South Africa before the World Cup. Bumrah, Harshal, Arshdeep Singh and Bhunveswar Kumar are the four pacers in the World Cup. Along with batter Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Chahar has also been included in the standbys.
However, with Suryakumar Yadav being higher in the pecking order and missing a place in the top-three, chances of him finding a slot in the XI are slim. Slotting Hooda - a role he is not used to - at Nos 6 & 7 ahead of Karthik, who excels in the finisher role, is detrimental.
Axar's inclusion in the XI means India will also have a left-hander in the batting order, and could open the way for Karthik to play ahead of Pant.
India is certainly not short of resources in the 15-man squad. But how they manage those resources will ultimately seal their fate.
T20 World Cup: Rohit (C), Rahul (vc), Kohli, Suryakumar, Hooda, Pant (wk), Karthik (wk), Hardik, Ashwin, Chahal, Axar, Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar, Harshal, Arshdeep. Standbys- Shami, Shreyas, Bishnoi, Chahar. * Shami and Chahar included for Australia and South Africa T20Is. Arshdeep will miss the former and Bhuvneshwar the latter.
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