"We need experience for a mega event" - Reetinder Sodhi picks his Indian squad for the T20 World Cup
![Reetinder Sodhi picked Shikhar Dhawan ahead of Ishan Kishan [P/C: Getty Images]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2021/08/9a1ba-16277954803095-800.jpg?w=500)
Reetinder Sodhi has opted for experience over youth while picking his preferred 15-member Indian squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
With some of the established Indian players away in England, the young hopefuls got an opportunity to showcase their prowess in the limited-overs series against Sri Lanka. However, only a few of them could enhance their reputations with match-defining contributions.
During a discussion on India News, Reetinder Sodhi opined that Shikhar Dhawan's experience should help him get a spot ahead of Ishan Kishan as the backup opener. He explained:
"Shikhar Dhawan on experience. We need experience for a mega event, the T20 World Cup. Ishan Kishan is a very talented player but I feel Shikhar Dhawan can prove to be more useful. So you take him as a reserve opener and get KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma to open."
The former Indian all-rounder picked Mohammed Siraj and Shreyas Iyer as a seamer and middle-order batsman respectively. Reetinder Sodhi elaborated:
"If we talk about bowlers, Mohammed Siraj has set the stage on fire. He bowls amazingly well and has the experience as well. If we talk about Shreyas Iyer, he is a match-winner. He has played international cricket and won innumerable matches in the IPL."
Shreyas Iyer has been out of competitive cricket since suffering a shoulder injury during the limited-overs series against England. He will have to prove his fitness in the IPL to be in contention for a spot in the T20 World Cup 2021 India Squad.
Reetinder Sodhi on why experienced players should be preferred
Click here for the complete T20 World Cup 2021 Schedule.
Reetinder Sodhi highlighted that experience at the highest level can hold players in good stead during pressure situations. He observed:
"My opinion is you can take the youngsters but they have to be backed by experience because there will be a lot of adrenaline rush in this tournament and only experienced players can handle the pressure."
Sodhi acknowledged that Dhawan and Bhuvneshwar Kumar did not set the stage on fire during the Sri Lanka series. However, the 40-year-old, feels good performances in the remainder of IPL 2021 could help the duo cement their spots in the Indian team. In this regard, Reetinder Sodhi said:
"A lot can change after the IPL. We are talking about Bhuvneshwar and Shikhar Dhawan, they have not done anything special. But we all know they are match-winners. They can be the ultimate selection if they catch form in the IPL."
Reetinder Sodhi's preferred Indian squad for the T20 World Cup: Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Shikhar Dhawan, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Deepak Chahar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja, Rahul Chahar, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal