Mohammed Shami’s exclusion from Team India’s squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2022 has raised a number of eyebrows. The BCCI announced the squad for the continental championship on Monday (August 8). The national selectors have picked only three frontline pacers in the team. Bhuvneshwar Kumar along with youngsters Arshdeep Singh and Avesh Khan will take care of the pace department.
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With Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel not available for selection due to injuries, there were expectations that Shami might get picked in the team. The selectors, however, decided otherwise. Shami’s exclusion has made many criticise the selectors. Fans as well as several experts have questioned the selectors’ decision of not including the senior pacer in the team.
‘Mohammed Shami was literally there’:
Former India captain and selector Krishnamachari Srikkanth has also given his opinion on Mohammed Shami’s absence from the India squad for Asia Cup 2022. The batting legend has stated that Shami was literally there if he had to select the Asia Cup team. Not only that, Srikkanth also said that he would not have picked young spinner Ravi Bishnoi in the team.
“In my team, Shami was literally there. If I was the Chairman of the selection committee, I think Shami would have been there and probably, I would not have gone with Ravi Bishnoi. But I still believe that Axar Patel was a serious contender in my team. It would have been a big toss-up between Axar Patel and Ashwin,” Srikkanth said on Star Sports’ show ‘Follow The Blues’.
“I think the squad is pretty good but I think we would need one more medium pacer. We are going with one medium pacer short. Two wrist spinners is fine. I feel bad for Axar Patel, who has missed out. I am very happy for Deepak Hooda – he can bowl a bit, he’s a good hitter and he’s a good striker of the ball. What I like about Deepak Hooda is that he’s a good striker of the ball, he’s a flirter. Otherwise, this squad is a fantastic squad, only feel bad for Axar Patel,” said Srikkanth.
India’s squad for Asia Cup:
Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, R. Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan