T20 World Cup: 3 pacers who could replace Bhuvneshwar Kumar in Team India
This second phase of the 2021 IPL is not proving to be a good one for a number of Team India players who have been picked in India's T20 World Cup squad. Mumbai Indians have the most number of players named in India's T20 World Cup squad. But they are languishing at number 7 in the IPL table, mostly due to their middle order, which is woefully out of form and this will surely give the Indian selectors a lot of headaches.
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Apart from the batsmen, the bowlers too have not been entirely convincing. The Indian selectors have only picked three specialist fast bowlers in the T20 World Cup and as such, the form of Bhuvneshwar Kumar could be a cause for concern for the selectors.
In eight matches so far this season, Bhuvneshwar Kumar has looked off-colour and has been able to pick up just five wickets at an average of 51.20, and with an economy rate of 8.53.
Here we take a look at 3 bowlers who could replace Bhuvneshwar Kumar in India's T20 World Cup squad:
1.) Avesh Khan
Avesh Khan has been a revelation this season for the Delhi Capitals. He has kept Ishant Sharma out of the playing XI and has been a regular member of the Delhi Capitals all season.
Such has been his performance in the domestic circuit that he was picked in India's squad for England tour as a reserve pacer. However, he picked up an injury in a warm-up game playing for County Select XI.
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His ability to pick up wickets, both with the new ball and then at the death overs, has made him the perfect bowler for Delhi Capitals. He has picked up 15 wickets in 10 matches so far, at an average of 19.13 and with an economy rate of 7.55.
2.) Mohammed Siraj
Perhaps the most-improved seamer in Indian cricket over the last 15 months, Mohammed Siraj has come leaps and bounds as far as his all-round skillsets are concerned.
His performances in Australia with the Indian Test team have given him the confidence to be Virat Kohli's bowler across all conditions and formats. He has been brilliant in the IPL as well this season - he has picked up seven wickets in 10 matches with an economy rate of 7.08.
Siraj has shown the ability to extract any assistance from the surface and towards death overs, he has the temperament to try out different variations that can contain the batters.
3.) Deepak Chahar
Deepak Chahar has been named as one of the standby pacers in India's T20 World Cup squad, but he could well be named Bhuvneshwar Kumar's replacement for his performance, both for India and for Chennai Super Kings.
Since 2019, the pacer has picked up 19 wickets in 22 T20Is. In the first leg of the IPL, Chahar picked up four wickets in seven matches at an economy of 8.26.
However, he has been in great form since the league resumed. In the 10 matches so far, Chahar has picked up 11 wickets at an economy rate of 7.75. He gets the ball to swing the ball up front and then, nailing the yorkers in the death overs that makes him the complete package.
Apart from this, he is handy with the bat and can provide the depth India needs with the bat.