Aakash Chopra names 4 fast bowlers who could make it to India's T20 World Cup squad apart from '3 certainties'
Aakash Chopra has named three certain picks along with four other possible candidates for India's fast-bowling lineup at the T20 World Cup.
Team India will face Sri Lanka in three ODIs and as many T20Is, starting on July 13. The performance of the players on this six-match tour will be keenly watched by the national selectors.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra pointed out that Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Deepak Chahar are certainties in India's squad for the T20 World Cup.
The cricketer-turned-commentator observed Team India will look to add at least one more seamer to complement the aforementioned three bowlers.
"You need at least one fast bowler because you have already picked three fast bowlers or if you pick two fast bowlers, you might not look at an additional spinner. We have already kept three spinners - Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja and Yuzvendra Chahal."
Aakash Chopra named Mohammed Shami and T Natarajan as the front-runners for the remaining seam-bowling positions.
"Mohammed Shami front-runner, he might not be there in Sri Lanka but is still a front-runner. Natarajan is injured and not there in Sri Lanka but is still one of the front-runners."
The selectors might opt not to pick Deepak Chahar if Bhuvneshwar Kumar is fully fit and available, considering that both bring almost similar attributes to the table. Shami and Natarajan could both make the Indian squad in such a scenario even if they pick just four specialist seamers.
Aakash Chopra on the other fast bowlers who might be in contention
Aakash Chopra named Navdeep Saini and Shardul Thakur as two other pacers the Indian selectors might think about.
"Saini and Shardul Thakur. Thakur is in England while Saini is in Sri Lanka. You might want to look at one out of these four fast bowlers. I don't think of anybody else at this point in time."
Chopra signed off by stating any other pacer is unlikely to make the grade out of the blue.
"I don't think you will be able to look at anyone else, that you will get a name suddenly, like Harshal Patel, out of the box."
Mohammed Siraj, Avesh Khan and Prasidh Krishna are a few of the other seam-bowling options the selectors might consider.