The ongoing Asia Cup is an ideal platform for the teams involved to figure out the final eleven and eliminate the weak points before the T-20 World Cup (WC) in Australia this year in October. Team India is also looking to do the same as well. However, as the tournament unfolds its cup of woes is only increasing as it is unable to figure out the core unit for the upcoming T-20 carnival and the ensuing confusion is only taking deep roots with every match that is taking place in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Asia Cup Final will be taking place on September 11 and the World Cup is barely a month away. So, the scenario is apt for highlighting the grey areas that the Indian team needs to address before the all-important tournament.
The Conundrum Surrounding The Third Pacer
The only thing certain with regard to the bowling unit is the presence of Jasprit Bumrah in the final XI of the WC squad. Considering the conditions in Australia it does not make sense to pick more than two spinners but who will be the lucky tweakers to make the cut for the event? Will it be Ashwin/ Chahal or Bishnoi/ Chahal or Ashwin/Bishnoi? Then the mystery is also heightening in the pace bowling department as far as the third seamer is concerned. Should India rely on the experience of Mohammed Shami or the youthful exuberance of Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh or Mohammed Siraj to complement the efforts of Bhuvaneshwar Kumar and Bumrah? The head coach Rahul Dravid and captain Rohit Sharma need to find a clear-cut answer to these questions immediately.
Jadeja’s Injury & The Cloud Of Uncertainty
To make matters worse, India’s star allrounder Ravindra Jadeja is currently missing action due to a knee injury. It is believed that close to 6-8 weeks are required for the healing process. This means there is a possibility that Jadeja will not make it to the WC squad. What are the other options in case Jadeja is ruled out of the T-20 World Cup? It is not easy to replace a player like Jadeja as he brings several skills to the table to lend a fine balance to the team. Does Team India go for an untested allrounder like Axar Patel or a specialist batsman like Shikhar Dhawan or Shubhman Gill? This issue is bound to give sleepless nights to everyone from the selectors, captain to the coach.
Kartik Or Pant?
Dinesh Kartik’s finishing abilities during the 2022 IPL and Rishabh Pant’s electrifying form of late in the ODI and Test formats have complicated the process of selecting the wicketkeeper for the event. So far, they have been made to play and sit out in some games in the Asia Cup and there is still no clarity over who could be the best bet for the coveted tournament. With Rahul possessing good keeping skills, it does not make sense to include both Kartik and Pant in the playing XI. So, what do Dravid and Rohit do under the circumstances? Go with the veteran player and leave out the flamboyant one or vice versa. Time seems to be running out fast for the team management on this count.
Lastly,
Right now, only Rohit, Virat, KL Rahul, Bumrah and Suryakumar Yadav look certain to make it to the final XI of the WC squad. There could be several surprising inclusions as well in a few weeks from now. But, India should not be repeating a “Hardik-experiment” with Jadeja this year and also refrain from picking too many inexperienced players in the final squad like last year. Hope better sense prevails and the team management picks a competent squad for the upcoming prestigious T-20 world championships.
