"Will that fast bowler be able to compete with Siraj or Shami?" - Sanjay Bangar on the absence of left-arm pacers in India's World Cup squad
Sanjay Bangar believes that the reason no left-arm seamer has been picked in India's 2023 World Cup squad is that none of them can compete with the likes of Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami.
The selectors picked a 15-member provisional Indian squad for the quadrennial event on Tuesday, September 5. It includes three specialist pacers, with Shardul Thakur and Hardik Pandya as additional seam-bowling all-rounders.
During a discussion on Star Sports, Bangar was asked about his thoughts on the absence of a left-arm seamer in the Indian squad, to which he responded:
"The team has done their preparation with a combination and a plan for the last two years. So you need to stick with those plans. Yes, there is a wishlist that you have a fast bowler like that, but will that fast bowler be able to compete with Siraj or Shami, because these two players have that quality?"
Citing VVS Laxman's example, the former Indian all-rounder highlighted that innumerable good players have lost out on a chance to feature in the global event. He said:
"Unfortunately, many good players miss out on the World Cup. I remember VVS Laxman was in good form in 2003 but he didn't get a place because of the team combination."
Bangar stated that the ODI World Cup comes only once in four years and players need to play their best cricket close to the tournament to enhance their chances of getting selected.
"Arshdeep seems to be the best option" - Piyush Chawla on India's left-arm seam options
Piyush Chawla pointed out that Arshdeep Singh is India's best left-arm seam option. However, he added that his numbers pale in comparison to those of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Mohammed Shami. He stated:
"If we don't have the left-arm option, if we check the entire lot, Arshdeep seems to be the best option. However, if you compare Arshdeep with the three frontline fast bowlers we have picked, these three have a great track record and have a lot of experience."
The leg-spinner added that the most experienced bowlers need to be picked for a high-pressure tournament like the World Cup. He elaborated:
"You want to go with your most experienced bowlers to a tournament like the World Cup because when the pressure situation comes, it is not that easy to cope with it. So that is why I feel Arshdeep is not there here and the three extremely experienced frontline seamers are there."
Arshdeep has gone wicketless in the two ODI innings he has bowled. He has also conceded an average of 6.75 runs per over and is probably being considered only for T20I cricket at the moment.