T20 World Cup 2022: "Why didn't you take him for the Asia Cup?" - Aakash Chopra on whether Mohammad Shami should've been picked ahead of Harshal Patel
Aakash Chopra has questioned the selectors' decision not to include Mohammad Shami in India's Asia Cup squad if he was in their scheme of things for the T20 World Cup starting in Australia next month.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh and Avesh Khan were India's three specialist seamers in the continental tournament. While Avesh has been left out of the World Cup squad, Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel have returned after recovering from injuries, with Shami being picked as one of the reserves.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra was asked whether Harshal would be helpful in Australian conditions and if it was a wise decision to pick him ahead of Shami. He responded:
"In my opinion, the selectors were slightly late in picking Mohammad Shami. You have kept him now in this team, you will play him against Australia and South Africa. If he is in the scheme of things just three weeks before the World Cup, why didn't you take him for the Asia Cup?"
Chopra also questioned the selectors' call to drop Avesh after a couple of indifferent performances. The cricketer-turned-commentator elaborated:
"Avesh Khan was in the scheme of things in the Asia Cup, then why was he not kept here, just because two matches went bad? That is what I personally do not like, that if you have the clarity, you know who you have to keep, then Mohammad Shami should have been in the Asia Cup team."
Chopra reckons Shami might have been in India's main squad for the World Cup if he had played the Asia Cup before the upcoming T20I series against Australia and South Africa. He observed:
"Then he (Shami) should have been there here (Aus and SA series) as well. He might have done so well that you would have kept him in the World Cup squad and not in the standbys. So I have a problem there."
I wish the team had allowed itself to see a little more of Mohd Shami after the IPL to allow him to challenge for a place in the XI.
Shami has picked up 18 wickets in the 17 T20Is he has played. He has proved quite expensive in the shortest format on the international stage, having conceded an average of 9.54 runs per over.
"You are taking an extra spinner" - Aakash Chopra feels Mohammad Shami could have been included as an additional pacer
Chopra reckons the Gujarat Titans pacer could have been included at the expense of a spinner in the World Cup squad. He said:
"I am saying you could have kept both (Shami and Harshal for the World Cup). You are taking an extra spinner, you could have taken one fewer."
The former India opener explained:
"Harshal Patel does your death-over job, Mohammad Shami does your new-ball job, Bumrah does it in both stages and Bhuvi is for the new ball. Just to find the right kind of balance, that you have the bowlers' roles defined and they are different-different bowlers, that was my thinking."
Apart from Burmah and Harshal, the Men in Blue also have Arshdeep as a death-bowling specialist in their World Cup squad. Shami's inclusion would have given them a potent bowler with the new ball along with Bhuvneshwar.