"A lot will depend on Rohit Sharma" - Harbhajan Singh picks key players for India and Australia for World Cup 2023
Harbhajan Singh has picked Rohit Sharma as one of the players who could hold the key to India's fortunes at the World Cup 2023.
Rohit, with 648 runs at an average of 81 in nine games, was the highest run-scorer in the 2019 World Cup. However, he has enjoyed middling success in ODI cricket since that tournament and will want to be back at his best in the quadrennial event to be staged in India later this year.
During a discussion on Star Sports, Harbhajan was asked to pick players who could define their teams' success at the World Cup. The former Indian spinner named Rohit and Shubman Gill as the key players in the hosts' batting department:
"If I talk about India, it comes back to your opening partnership. A lot will depend on Rohit Sharma. Shubman Gill - I hope he is part of the team. It will be unfortunate if you don't play him."
While highlighting Gill's excellent record in familiar home conditions, Harbhajan chose Ravindra Jadeja as the key in India's bowling department:
"I think Shubman Gill will be the key. He bats extremely well in Indian conditions. In bowling, Ravindra Jadeja, if he fires like we saw in the IPL, where he picked up more than 20 wickets."
Jadeja picked up 20 wickets at a decent economy rate of 7.56 in the 16 matches he played for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in IPL 2023. He also scored 10 runs off the last two balls of the final to help MS Dhoni and Co. bag a record-equaling fifth IPL title.
"Cameron Green will be very, very dangerous" - Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh named Cameron Green as the key player for Australia:
"If you are talking about Australia, I would like to take Green's name. Cameron Green will be very, very dangerous. He brings not just batting but also bowling and fielding - unbelievable talent."
The cricketer-turned-commentator chose Adam Zampa as the biggest threat in Australia's bowling lineup:
"He (Green) has played in India. He played exceptionally well in the IPL. He knows the conditions and he can be very dangerous there. Then if you talk about Zampa, he can be another addition who can be extremely dangerous. I think these will be the key players for India and Australia."
Zampa has scalped 131 wickets at a decent economy rate of 5.42 in 79 ODIs. The leg-spinner has accounted for 24 dismissals in the 14 ODIs he has played on Indian soil.