T20 World Cup 2022: Sanjay Manjrekar picks his preferred India XI; no place for Dinesh Karthik and Arshdeep Singh
Sanjay Manjrekar has picked his preferred India XI for the T20 World Cup to be played in Australia later this year.
The selectors recently chose a 15-member Indian squad for the global T20 tournament. The Men in Blue will start their campaign in the tournament with a clash against arch-rivals Pakistan in Melbourne on October 23.
During an interaction on the Sports 18 show 'Sports Over the Top', Manjrekar opted to go with a tried-and-tested top four. He elaborated:
"The most likely XI that I see on the field, the one that I would go for starts with Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli at No. 3 and Suryakumar Yadav at No. 4. I know you guys are looking at four right-handers one after the other but it's fine."
Manjrekar chose Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant and Axar Patel to bat in the lower-middle order. The former India batter said:
"Now I have got Hardik Pandya coming in at No. 5, then I have got Rishabh Pant and Axar Patel, hoping that he becomes a batting all-rounder, just like Jadeja, during the course of the tournament."
Manjrekar, however, added that he would back the team management even if they go with Dinesh Karthik ahead of Pant. He explained:
"I just want to take a chance with Rishabh Pant to begin with but if they pick DK (Karthik) for the first game, I fully support it, because I have said it many times that down the order at No. 6 or No. 7, DK currently has more of an impact than Rishabh Pant, but this is out of hope that something magical happens to Rishabh Pant."
2 interesting options for India for #T20WC
- Rishabh Pant (All T20s - 2022):
651 runs, 29 inn
SR 142.45
Avg 28.30
> Left-handed, match-winner
> Lack of consistency at 4, 5
- Dinesh Karthik:
564 runs, 32 inn
SR 157.54
Avg 35.25
> Finisher, momentum-changer
> High-risk game
Pant and Karthik will likely compete for the wicketkeeper-batter's position in India's XI. The team management might take the final call based on their performances in the upcoming series against Australia and South Africa.
"The playing XI is more about having seasoned guys" - Sanjay Manjrekar on picking Harshal Patel ahead of Arshdeep Singh
Manjrekar picked Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Jasprit Bumrah and Yuzvendra Chahal as his four specialist bowlers. He observed:
"In the bowling attack, I have got Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel - I think he will come in before Bhuvi, and then of course Bumrah and Chahal. So that's my playing XI. As you can see, the playing XI is more about having seasoned guys."
The cricketer-turned-commentator also shared his reasons for opting to go with Harshal ahead of Arshdeep Singh, stating:
"I just feel that Harshal was always going to be the player that they would pick. Just offers something completely different, lots of slower deliveries, a bit like Obed McCoy. So I have got him, with Arshdeep very quickly to get in and hopefully Mohammad Shami from the reserves."
Kris Srikkanth said, "Mohammad Shami should've been in the main squad for the T20 World Cup instead Harshal Patel". (On Star).
Sanjay Manjrekar's preferred India XI: Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal