“Questions must not be raised now” - Sunil Gavaskar urges fans to back Rishabh Pant after his selection in India’s T20 World Cup squad
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has urged fans to back Rishabh Pant and every member of the team who has been picked in India’s T20 World Cup squad. According to the batting legend, now that the team has been announced, the debate over who should have been picked and who should have been left out must end.
The selectors, on Monday, September 12, announced India’s squad for the T20 World Cup, which will be held in Australia from October 16 to November 13. Ending the suspense over the Pant versus Dinesh Karthik debate, the selection committee included both keeper-batters in India’s T20 World Cup squad.
There has been some criticism over Pant’s selection ahead of Sanju Samson considering the former has consistently failed to deliver in the T20I format. Asked about the decision, Gavaskar told Sports Tak:
“Now that he has been selected in the team, he must be supported by everyone. Questions should not be raised now over why he has been picked. We need to encourage every member of the team. We need to encourage them to go and win.”
On which keeper-batter he would prefer in the playing XI, Gavaskar replied that he would play both, even if it means continuing with Hardik Pandya as the third seamer. The 73-year-old explained:
“I would play both. Pant at No. 5, Hardik Pandya at No. 6 and Dinesh Karthik at No. 7. (I would go with) four bowlers plus Pandya.”
On the risk factor with Pandya playing as the third pacer, Gavaskar replied:
“Unless you take risks, how would you win? T20 format is such that you have to take risks.”
I like Rishabh Pant the dynamic left-hander who has done extraordinary things for Team India in his young career but it hasn't been the case in T20I format. He shouldn't have been selected in the first 15 at least, but hopefully he changes the narrative for the greater good.
Pandya struggled as India’s third seamer in the Asia Cup. He registered unimpressive figures of one for 44 and 0 for 35 in the Super 4 matches against Pakistan and Sri Lanka, respectively.
“Two fast bowlers and two spinners” - Gavaskar on India’s bowling combination for T20 World Cup
Sharing his views on Team India’s bowling combination for the T20 World Cup, Gavaskar said that he would go with two fast bowlers and two spinners.
He, however, added that, depending on the conditions, the Men in Blue could also go with three pacers and one spinner. The former Indian skipper elaborated:
“I would go with two fast bowlers and two spinners. Yuzvendra Chahal will be one of them. If you bowl good leg-spin in Australia, you will get bounce and spin and can be very effective. Chahal’s confidence would be high.
“If the opposition has more left-handers, then I would play Ravichandran Ashwin and if there are more right-handers, then Axar Patel. My pacers would be Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel. Depending on the conditions, Bhuvneshwar Kumar can play as the third seamer.”
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Apart from the above names, India have also picked young left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh in the T20 World Cup squad. Deepak Chahar, Mohammed Shami, and Ravi Bishnoi are the standby bowling options.