Ravi Shastri, the former India coach on Saturday gave his opinion on what the Indian pace attack should look like while giving a strong verdict on the chances of a 23-year-old bowler.
Two months are left before Team India takes off for Australia for the 2022 T20I World Cup. Yet the audition for the World Cup squad continues even while India has wrapped up the ongoing West Indies T20I series.
Harshal Patel Ruled Out Of Asia Cup 2022
India now has the forthcoming Asia Cup 2022 and two home series against Proteas and Australia left before they decide on their final 15 for the 2022 T20I World Cup, but veterans and experts of the game have already indulged themselves in heated debates and discussions over how the team should look like.
India already has had 11 fast bowlers auditioning for the World Cup squad with veteran Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Harshal Patel appearing most often for the side and having picked the most wickets.
Harshal Patel will most certainly miss the Asia Cup 2022 and won’t be a likely starter for India in the T20I World Cup 2022. It has been reported that the India pacer, a virtual T20 specialist noted for his variety and trickery in his bowling, is dealing with a side strain that could sideline him from consideration.
Deepak Chahar, who has been ruled out with a hamstring ailment since February but was selected for the three-ODI series against Zimbabwe later this month, may benefit from Harshal Patel’s absence.
Ravi Shastri Wants Arshdeep Singh In The 2022 T20I World Cup Indian squad
However, young Arshdeep Singh, who was added to the Indian side after an impressive 2022 IPL, has managed to impress veterans and experts in just a couple of appearances with his superb bowling in death overs and ability to deliver yorkers at will.
Despite his impressive show in the England and West Indies tour, the debate remains over his possible selection in the World Cup.
But Ravi Shastri, in conversation with Fan Code before the start of the fourth T20 match between India and the West Indies, admitted that he would have picked Arshdeep Singh in the squad owing to his variety. Ravi Shastri feels the left-arm pacer would join the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Mohammed Shami in the pace attack.
“I think very close to because India needs variety. And in Australia, left-armers normally do a good job. There is bounce and the angle that he creates. He will be an ideal foil when you look at the Indian attack. It should have Bhuvi, Jasprit, Shami and then if you put him in the mix and all you might know that he might play in one of the games given the opportunity,” Ravi Shastri said.
“If there are four pacers picked there I would pick three right-armers and one left-armer and one all-rounder which is Hardik Pandya. Jasprit and Bhuvi are certainties and I feel Shami will get the nod,” Ravi Shastri said.
Arshdeep Singh picked three wickets for 12 runs in 3.1 overs in India’s 59-run series-clinching win in Florida. The pacer has claimed 9 scalps in only 5 T20Is averaging an impressive 12.55 at an awesome economy rate of 6.05.
A regular in the Test and ODI line-up, Mohammed Shami hasn’t played a lot of T20Is prior to and even before the last year’s World Cup, held in the UAE. Before representing India in the 2021 T20 World Cup, Mohammed Shami’s last appearance in T20I came in December 2020.
Before the 2022 T20 World Cup, to be held in Australia, Mohammed Shami has reportedly been informed by the BCCI selection committee that he isn’t in consideration for T20Is.