Naming Team India's 15 members for the T20 World Cup in Australia later this year is proving to be a herculean task not just for Indian fans but for pundits as well. Even the former cricketers seem to be divided over who would be part of the Indian squad for the mega event Down Under. While some have suggested that veteran tweakers Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin should be picked for their experience and versatility, others want to see wrist spinners in the team. Moreover, the likes of Rahul Chahar and Varun Chakravarthy, who featured in the last T20 World Cup in the UAE seemed to have lost favor with the selectors. With the premier competition just months away, Sanjay Manjrekar has named leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal as one of India's game-changers for the tournament. He has also voiced his support for left-arm spinner Axar Patel and young Ravi Bishnoi. The other player who according to Sanjay Manjrekar could be crucial to India's chances in Kangaroo land would be Kuldeep Yadav. While Yuzvendra Chahal was on fire during the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the T20I series against South Africa this month, Kuldeep Yadav appeared to have regained his rhythm in the cash-rich league. The chinaman bowler, however, missed the home series against the Proteas due to an injury. Despite Kuldeep Yadav's recent problems owing to his fitness, Sanjay Manjrekar wants to keep him in the conversation for a place in the Indian team's squad for the World Cup.
“India have quality in the seam department but other international teams like Pakistan and South Africa have it as well. No matter how much quality India have in their seam, they start winning when spinners make a contribution. Yes, India have gone away from Chahar, Ashwin, and Chakaravarthy. They are currently looking at Chahal, Bishnoi and Axar. Jadeja might come in too. But I would also like to see Kuldeep once he is fit. If India have to win and get into the final round of the tournament, they need two game-changing spinners,” Sanjay Manjrekar said in a virtual interaction organised by Sony Sports.
“Spinners would get two-three wickets and completely change the course of the game. India need to start zeroing on their three spinners in the squad. Chahal has almost sealed his berth and Kuldeep can also come into the mix. Kuldeep had an interesting season with Delhi Capitals. Axar is also a reliable finger spinner. Zeroing on the three spinners might be one of the top agendas of the team management. It would set India apart from others,” he added.
Sanjay Manjrekar had his say on the Harshal Patel and Avesh Khan debate as well. According to him, in Australian conditions where the ball bounces much higher than the sub-continental pitches, Avesh Khan has a little edge over Harshal Patel.
Harshal Patel has been one of the regulars in Team India since making his international debut last year. Harshal Patel earned his place in the national team on the back of a superb IPL as he finished the tournament as its highest wicket-taker in 2021.
Avesh Khan, meanwhile, was among the most successful fast bowlers in this year's IPL, having grabbed 18 wickets for the Lucknow Super Giants. His impressive continued against South Africa as well as he picked up his career-best figures of 4/18 in the Rajkot T20I.
“There are a lot of seam bowling options but Australia is a place where you won't get the pitch you get in the sub-continent. India will also have to see how someone like Avesh, Harshal or Arshdeep can do on such wickets. For the trip to Australia, India will go for seam bowlers who can leave a mark on pitches where the ball will come a lot better and there will be some bounce, where Avesh might have a slight edge over Harshal,” Sanjay Manjrekar elaborated.
Sanjay Manjrekar wasn't in favor of Ravindra Jadeja's inclusion in India's T20 World Cup squad as feels that both Dinesh Karthik and Hardik Pandya were far better options than the Saurashtra cricketer.
“Clearly, Dinesh Karthik has shown that he can be a number 6 or 7 as a pure batter. The impact that he is making is phenomenal and we saw that in T20Is against South Africa and also in the IPL,” Manjrekar said.
“So, it's not really going to be easy for Jadeja to come in and take his place and India might settle in with somebody like Axar Patel.”
“The side now has Hardik Pandya, Karthik batting down the order. Rishabh Pant is also there so it's not going to be easy for him. But knowing the kind of player Jadeja is, he will be making sure that the headache doesn't get less for the selectors,” Manjrekar pointed out.
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