Asia Cup 2022: "He doesn't fit into your first XI at the moment" - Rohan Gavaskar on Avesh Khan's place in India's T20 World Cup squad
Rohan Gavaskar isn't too concerned about Avesh Khan's recent indifferent performances as the pacer does not fit into India's first XI for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Avesh conceded 53 runs in his four-over spell in India's Asia Cup 2022 match against Hong Kong in Dubai on Wednesday (August 31). The Indore-born pacer also gave away 19 runs in the two overs he bowled in the Men in Blue's tournament opener against Pakistan at the same venue.
During an interaction on the Sports 18 show 'Sports Over the Top' after the Hong Kong game, Gavaskar was asked whether Avesh Khan could be a part of India's T20 World Cup squad. He replied:
"I think for the T20 World Cup squad, he will have to up his performances, there is no doubt about that. I am not too worried about what Avesh has done so far because I think in the selectors' minds and in most peoples' minds, he doesn't fit into your first XI at the moment."
Gavaskar pointed out that Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar will likely spearhead the Indian pace attack, subject to them being fit and available. The former India all-rounder elaborated:
"Jasprit Bumrah is not in the side, you think someone like Jasprit will be coming into that XI. Then you have got Bhuvneshwar, who played yesterday (against Hong Kong), he is a certainty for the XI. Obviously, this is all going with the fact that they are not injured."
Gavaskar added that the likes of Deepak Chahar and Harshal Patel are also likely to be preferred ahead of Avesh Khan:
"Then you have got someone like Deepak Chahar, you have got Harshal Patel. So I think Avesh, while he is an excellent prospect, at the moment in the selectors' minds and the team management's minds, he is not a certainty for that first XI spot."
Avesh Khan now has the worst economy rate in a calendar year for India in T20is - 9.10 (minimum 25 overs).
Deepak Chahar, who has returned from a long injury layoff, is one of the three reserves in India's Asia Cup squad. Bumrah and Patel are sidelined at the moment due to injuries and will hope to recover before the global event.
"I don't think it's a cause for worry" - Rohan Gavaskar on Avesh Khan's indifferent performances
Gavaskar concluded by reiterating that although the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) pacer hasn't lived up to expectations, there is no cause for concern:
"Even though his performances over the last few games haven't been as he would have liked or the team management would have liked, I don't think it's a cause for worry as far as the big World Cup picture is concerned, because he won't be in that first XI."
Avesh Khan in the death overs for India
1-0-14-0
1-0-19-0
1-0-11-0
1-0-20-0
0.2-0-12-0
1-0-17-0
1-0-21-0
That's a total of 114 runs in 38 balls in the death in his T20I career.
#INDvHK #AsiaCup
Avesh Khan has picked up 13 wickets in the 15 T20Is he has played so far, with a best of 4/18 against South Africa in June this year. The right-arm pacer has an overall economy of 9.10 and has conceded an average of at least 10 runs per over in six of his last eight games.