The selectors chose to play safe rather than brave while picking India’s 15-member squad for T20 World Cup. The Rohit Sharma-led team is loaded with experienced names, but the big worry is if it will be able to cope with the turbo-charged run rates that are becoming the norm in T20.
Rishabh Pant’s return from horrific injuries is an undoubted feel-good story, but there is no room for Rinku Singh, whose T20I strike rate is a staggering 176.
STRENGTHS: Jasprit Bumrah, probably the most complete paceman in world cricket. Reuniting Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal makes it a formidable spin unit. Suryakumar Yadav is back from injury. Virat Kohli’s in fine fettle (500 runs in this IPL so far), with an improved strike rate (147).
Able, composed captain in Rohit Sharma.
WEAKNESSES: Unlike teams like Australia, India lack all-rounders and X-factor players. The lone pace bowling allrounder, vice-captain Hardik Pandya, has been selected and elevated based on past performance, not current form. Squad lacks ruthless hitters.
Pace unit patchy: Mohammed Siraj below his best, Arshdeep Singh often leaks runs, especially at death. Injured Mohammed Shami sorely missed.
Team abounds in ordinary fielders.
OPPORTUNITIES: After dominating in the ODI World Cup only to fall at the final hurdle, the team has a chance to win only its second T20 World Cup
THREATS: Squad short of proven finishers. The top order is largely similar to the squads that failed to win the last two T20 World Cups. Tail may not be able to contribute much with bat. Ball-guzzlers in top order could put extra pressure on lower order.
Rohit’s form is a concern.
SQUAD: Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya (vc), 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, Mohammed Siraj
RESERVES: Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, Avesh Khan
English (US) ·