The BCCI selectors on Monday named a 15-member Indian cricket squad for the T20 World Cup in Australia, starting mid-October. The selectors have gone with a tried and tested squad filled with seniors who recently played in the Asia Cup tournament. The team has gone ahead with three specialist spinners, four pacers, two wicketkeeper batters, five specialist batters and an allrounder in Hardik Pandya. While batter Deepak Hooda can be an effective spinner, left-arm spinner Axar Patel can play late cameos with the bat too. All eyes are on the Rohit-led side to end India’s nine-year long wait for an ICC Trophy.
However, former Indian cricket team captain Mohammed Azharuddin felt that Shreyas Iyer and Mohammed Shami should have been part of 15-member squad. The duo along with Ravi Bishnoi and Deepak Chahar have been named as ‘standby players’ for the T20 World cup.
“Surprised at the omission of Shreyas Iyer and Md. Shami from the main squad,” Mohammed Azharuddin tweeted. “Shreyas Iyer instead of Deepak Hooda and Md. Shami in the place of Harshal Patel would be my choice.”
Surprised at the omission of Shreyas Iyer and Md. Shami from the main squad. https://t.co/GOKUzRyMot
— Mohammed Azharuddin (@azharflicks) September 12, 2022
Shreyas Iyer instead of Deepak Hooda and Md. Shami in the place of Harshal Patel would be my choice.
— Mohammed Azharuddin (@azharflicks) September 12, 2022
Batter Iyer has played 46 T20Is and scored 1029 runs at a strike-rate of 136.65. Veteran pacer Shami has played 17 T20I picking 18 wickets. Both players are star performers in the Indian Premier League.
Promoted
India squad for ICC T20 World Cup: Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya, R. Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh.
Standby players – Mohd. Shami, Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, Deepak Chahar.
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