India is a pacer brief heading into the T20 World Cup this month, feels former chairman of selectors MSK Prasad, who can be a bit involved about all-rounder Hardik Pandya not bowling within the ongoing IPL.
The T20 World Cup will get underway from October 17 within the UAE and Oman with India amongst favourites to clinch the title.
“It is a decent squad but I feel that they are one fast bowler short actually …because we are playing majority of the matches in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, so may be one more fast bowler could have been handy,” Prasad advised PTI in an interview.
“Had we played more matches in Sharjah, this was okay, but one fast bowler could have (been there) and more important with Hardik not bowling, I think it is a little cause of concern,” defined the 46-year-old.
The Virat Kohli-led India will start their T20 World Cup marketing campaign after they tackle arch-rivals Pakistan on the Dubai International Stadium on October 24.
While the pitches in Sharjah have aided the spinners, the tracks in Dubai and Abu Dhabi have been serving to the quick bowlers as is being seen within the IPL.
Baroda all-rounder Pandya, a key member of the crew, has not been bowling for five-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians within the present UAE leg of the cash-rich league. The franchise has mentioned repeatedly that it doesn’t need to push him too laborious protecting in thoughts his significance to the Indian crew.
Asked about his tackle the state of affairs, Prasad mentioned, “See, Hardik has been picked as an all-rounder, not as a batsman, he’s seen an all-rounder, who will add that what you name stability to the aspect.
“…(it is) a little surprising that, or I don’t know whether he is being instructed, not to bowl or he is being preserved to bowl only in the World Cup,” he questioned.
“We don’t precisely know, however in a great situation, Hardik has been picked as an all-rounder, I might like to see him bowling.
“I don’t know what exactly is the thought process because selectors must be knowing it, or the Board must be knowing it, but Hardik, if he doesn’t bowl then there will be little, I mean, the balance of the side will get a little affected,” mentioned Prasad, who performed 6 Tests and 17 ODIs.
The former India stumper additionally backed Kohli’s choice to step down because the T20 skipper after the World Cup.
“…he has taken strain of captaincy across all formats, which is clearly visible right now on his individual performances. So, I think (it) must be a right decision to take,” mentioned Prasad when requested how this choice of Virat would assist the batsman in him.
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“We want Virat, a man who can get 70 centuries in a decade’s span, we would want to see the same Virat. If the T20 captaincy is affecting the batting, then it is the right decision to take,” added the veteran of 96 first-class matches.
Key spinner Yuzvendra Chahal couldn’t make the World T20 squad and Prasad mentioned the Chetan Sharma-led choice panel most likely made that call on his current detached type.
“Instead of talking why he (Chahal) has not been included, instead of expressing our opinion, I would definitely say that why he’s been excluded,” he mentioned.
“Probably the selectors would have gone together with his type within the thoughts, sadly he was not among the many wickets in the previous few months.
“They would have seen that form and now that he has regained that, it’s a tricky situation right now, but Chahal has been our premier T20 bowler, he is the highest wicket-taker for India in the T20 format,” added Prasad.
