The Indian team has several options at the moment, but there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding their squad. For instance, who will lead the side in T20Is? Rishabh Pant, Suryakumar Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Virat Kohli are the obvious candidates, but which other players could be cut?
Rishabh Pant
Rishabh Pant has revealed that he is nervous ahead of the Cup in Australia, the next ICC event. Pant says he is nervous, as is the rest of the team, but the team is determined to give their best. The team has not won an ICC event since 2013, and it is looking to break this streak.
Rishabh Pant is one of India’s top wicketkeeper options in all formats. He has played 13 T20Is, hitting 260 runs with an average of 26. He also has a fifty, which could be crucial for the Indian middle-order. The wickets in Australia will be bouncy and flat, making Rishabh Pant an excellent option.
Suryakumar Yadav
Suryakumar Yadav has been hailed as India’s best hope for the upcoming T20 World Cup, according to Mohammad Kaif. He has been in great form recently and has almost doubled his batting average since last year. His recent form has shown that he is well worth a place in the India squad, and his ability to score runs from the middle order alone makes him an attractive option.
Suryakumar has been praised by Gavaskar for his batting skills, as he has a high strike rate and has the potential to score big scores. His range of shots and uncanny ability to hit a boundary have prompted Gavaskar to praise him as a future star. If he gets the chance to play at the ICC T20 World Cup, he will be a key part of the Indian side.
Deepak Hooda
If India wants to make their presence felt at the T20 World Cup, then they should consider including Deepak Hooda in the squad. The left-hand batsman was a surprise inclusion in the Indian Premier League and has since established himself as an important figure for the team. Having made his international debut in the West Indies, Hooda has now played 16 international games for his country, seven ODIs, and nine T20Is. That’s the longest such streak in the history of men’s international cricket. As a result, you should look forward to seeing Hooda in the squad for the T20 World Cup in November, as well as the Asia Cup in October 2022.
Besides Hooda, other important players include KL Rahul and Virat Kohli. Earlier, Sanju Samson was rumored to be recalled to the squad for the UAE tour, but there is no official word on the matter. The batting order also has a few changes. Sanju Samson has been dropped, while Ishan Kishan is the second wicketkeeper. In terms of batting, Deepak Hooda is also expected to come into the team as the second opener. This will allow him to get used to playing alongside Virat Kohli.
Yuzvendra Chahal
Yuzvendra Chahal has been left out of India’s T20 World Cup squad. Though he has been an integral part of the national team in limited-overs format for several years, the pacer is not included in the 15-man final squad. Instead, Chetan Sharma’s selection panel has chosen Varun Chakravarthy and Rahul Chahar.
Aakash Chopra, a cricketer turned commentator, expressed shock at Yuzvendra Chahal’s exclusion from the Indian squad at the T20 World Cup last year. The Indian selectors had considered other spinners and picked Rahul Chahar and Varun Chakravarthy ahead of Chahal. However, Chahal’s form has boosted his chances of making it to the squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia.
After being left out of India’s T20 World Cup squad last year, Chahal and Kuldeep have been named in the IPL 2022 squad. Both players have a strong IPL history and have been a consistent option for Virat Kohli in Test cricket.
Mohammed Shami
Mohammed Shami had a stellar IPL 2022 season with Gujarat Titans, finishing as the top wicket-taker with 20 wickets. But, despite his impressive form, he was overlooked by the Indian selectors for the upcoming T20I series against South Africa, England, and West Indies. His absence in the upcoming Asia Cup 2022 also led to speculations about his future and place in the T20 World Cup 2022 India squad. But, a former captain of the Gujarat Titans, Madan Lal, has argued that Shami should be in the team as a result of his ability to take wickets.
Shami, 24, was part of India’s T20 World Cup squad last year but hasn’t featured in a T20I since. His shaky form at the World Cup last year was the reason why India failed to advance to the next round. But, since then, Shami has been performing well in the Indian Premier League. His batting average of almost 10 runs per over has helped him break into the Indian squad. It is possible that India isn’t comfortable keeping young players like him on the team.
