NEW DELHI: Former cricketer
Mohammad Kaif
has lauded the
Indian cricket team
's composition for the upcoming T20 World Cup made by chief selector
Ajit Agarkar
and his team. Kaif's remarks came following the announcement of the provisional squad, which witnessed the inclusion of some promising talents and the omission of a few established names.
"Isse achchi team Ajit Agarkar nahi bana sakte the [Ajit Agarkar could not have made a better team than this]," declared Kaif, emphasizing his confidence in the squad's strength and balance.
He particularly highlighted the assortment of bowlers, noting the presence of four fast bowlers and four spinners, creating a formidable bowling unit.
"A very strong team has been selected. It is very balanced - 4 fast bowlers, 4 spinners. Among the 8 bowlers there are three all-rounders - Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja and
Hardik Pandya
. There is also Shivam Dube who bowls, but I am not mentioning his name," Kaif said on Star Sports.
Kaif's analysis delved into the batting order, spotlighting the opening pair of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma. "Jaiswal always gives a start, plays aggressive cricket. You will play day matches in the US and West Indies, there will be no dew factor there, you have to attack in the powerplay, play agressively. Jaiswal always play aggressive cricket,
Rohit Sharma
also gives aggressive start," he remarked, underlining the necessity of assertive batting, especially in matches without the dew factor.
Addressing the middle order, Kaif deliberated on the choice between Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson, leaning towards Samson due to his impressive record in West Indies conditions. He also commended the selection of all-rounders Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, and Hardik Pandya for their versatility and ability to float in the batting order.
Furthermore, Kaif applauded the inclusion of Shivam Dube over Rinku Singh, citing Dube's capability to contribute with both bat and ball. "You can also give an over or two to Dube, so they have taken him, it's a good choice," he remarked, highlighting the strategic aspect of Dube's inclusion.
Kaif reiterated his confidence in the squad's potential and expressed satisfaction with Agarkar's selections. His endorsement adds weight to the anticipation surrounding India's campaign in the T20 World Cup, scheduled to commence in June.
Indian Squad for T20 World Cup
Rohit Sharma (Captain), Hardik Pandya (Vice Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal,
Virat Kohli
, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj.
Reserves: Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed and Avesh Khan.
English (US) ·