"They haven't gone with recent-form bias or else they should have kept T Natarajan" - Aakash Chopra on the seamers in India's 2024 T20 World Cup squad
Aakash Chopra has noted that the selectors gave precedence to past performances over recent form while picking the seamers in India's squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup. He noted that T Natarajan might have earned a spot otherwise.
The selectors recently chose the 15-member Indian squad for the global T20 event to be played in the West Indies and the United States next month. Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj were the three specialist seamers picked.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra opined that past performances for India might have helped Arshdeep and Siraj pip Natarajan to the second and third pacers' spots.
"There are three fast bowlers - Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep and Siraj. Once again, the selectors thought they should go on continuity and ignore the recent form. They haven't gone with recent-form bias or else they should have kept T Natarajan," he said (6:25).
"They could have gone towards him, but they said they don't need him, because Siraj has done well for them earlier, no matter how the current form is. Arshdeep's form is also not looking very exciting but you will keep him because he has been doing well for the last little while," the former India opener added.
Siraj has picked up 12 wickets at a reasonable economy rate of 8.78 in 10 T20Is. Arshdeep has accounted for 62 dismissals in 44 T20Is at a slightly better economy rate of 8.63.
"They can be game-changers" - Aakash Chopra on the spinners in India's squad
Aakash Chopra noted that the selection of four spinners implied that only three seamers could have been picked to ensure a balanced squad. However, he acknowledged that the spinners could prove to be game-changers and expressed happiness about Yuzvendra Chahal's selection.
"You have two like-for-like players in Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel. Once you picked both of them and then when you want to take Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal along, you would take one fast bowler less, and that's exactly what has happened. Day games, slightly softer pitches, and big grounds, they can be game-changers," he explained (5:50).
"You feel for Yuzi in any case. He has taken 200 wickets in the IPL and the most wickets in T20Is for India but has never got an opportunity in a T20 World Cup. So he will play this time. I am happy for him," the cricketer-turned-commentator added.
Chopra doesn't see Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja playing together in the XI. He added that the lack of batting depth would be evident in such a scenario.