ICC World Cup 2019: 3 most debatable selections
With the World Cup season approaching, fans are eager to see their heroes take the field England and Wales. The World Cup will be played between the top ten teams from 30th May. Teams have announced their 15-member squads for the upcoming mega-tournament, however, not with a few controversial selections and ommissions.
There are some big names missing from the list. While some have been ignored due to their age, the others have been dropped perhaps due to their recent form.
Australia is one of the few teams who seem to have made many changes to their squad for the upcoming WC edition. South African and England too have a fair share of questionable picks. Let's have a look at some of the most debatable decisions:
#1 Dropping Peter Handscomb
Australia was one of the first teams to announce their squads. Though the Australian squad is one of the top contenders, the defending champions ommited in-form Peter Handscomb may prove to be their biggest selection mistakes.
Having played 21 ODIs for Australia, he has amassed 628 runs to his name. With 1 century and 4 fifty-plus knocks, he strengthens the middle order for any team he plays in.
Also, the exclusion of Josh Hazlewood might deplete their bowling lineup in the upcoming World Cup season.
#2 Vijay Shankar over Ambati Rayudu and Rishabh Pant
This is surely one of the most controversial decisions made by the BCCI in the complete selection process. Vijay Shankar has been backed by the skipper, as Rayudu failed to prove himself worthy.
Rishabh Pant, on the other hand, would have been an excellent choice for the number 4 position, owing to his exceptional form in all the previous tournaments and in the ongoing IPL season.
The event was a major buzz on Twitter. In an attempt to justify their decision, MSK Prasad said "What Vijay Shankar brings at number 4 is 3-dimensional", to which Rayudu replied in a sarcastic way. This marked the start of the 3d row.
#3 Ignoring Jofra Archer
It was only after the announcement of the WC squad that the England team supporters expressed their shock at the selection.
Jofra Archer has made a name for himself, thanks to his performances in leagues around the world like the Big Bash, IPL, etc. Despite great performances, he missed out on a spot in the squad.
The Barbados-born English cricketer not only brings an extra bowling option but also strengthens the tail. Being familiar to the home conditions and having performed exceptionally in the county, not having him on the side might prove to be a major mistake committed by England's selectors.