- Tuesday, February 25, 2025
By: Shubham Ghosh
THE Indian selection committee is set to convene on Wednesday (8) to pick the squad for the Twenty20 World Cup starting next month in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman. All eyes will be on Washington Sundar, the injured all-rounder who is facing uncertainty over making it to the squad. Besides the squad for the big event, the selectors will also choose travelling reserves who will go to the tournament alongside the 15-member squad as per Covid-19 protocols.
While Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul remain first-choice openers when it comes to the shortest format, seeing captain Virat Kohli opening with Rohit could be another option if the management wants to play Suryakumar Yadav, an expert in this format, to bat at No.3.
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The selection committee meeting will also see a mention of Shikhar Dhawan, another veteran short-format expert who led India to win a bilateral one-day international series recently in Sri Lanka with a second-string side. If the management backs Rahul to play down the order, Dhawan, 35, could still make the cut. Prithvi Shaw could also put him under a challenge in the selection race.
Sundar, 21, was a sure shot choice in the squad but a finger injury has weakened his chances. He has already been ruled out of the Indian Premier League which would resume later this month and it is to be seen whether he recovers in time for the world cup. But Sundar has been out of the ground for almost six months now and that could also go against his selection.
India are placed in Group 2 of the tournament and will play their first match of the tournament against arch-rivals Pakistan in Dubai on October 24.
Sundar’s injury could make selection of the off-spinner problematic. Test specialist Ravichandran Ashwin has not played T20 international games for a long time now. Jayant Yadav is another offspinner but he has not played an international match since February 2017.
In the leg-spinners’ department, experienced Yuzvendra Chahal is set to be an automatic choice and it is to be seen whether the selectors pick Rahul Chahar or Varun Chakravarthy to back him.
Ishan Kishan, who has made an impact as an aggressive T20 batsman, is likely to get a call. Focus will also be on Shreyas Iyer as a probable pick for a middle-order slot. The Delhi Capitals captain has not played cricket for a while now and it is to be seen how he fares in the IPL that resumes in the UAE. He might find a serious competitor in Suryakumar Yadav.
Among the all-rounders, Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya are confirmed selections. Other names doing the rounds are Krunal Pandya and Shardul Thakur and the latter could remain ahead, given his top all-round performance in the just-concluded Test match at the Oval in which India hammered England.
India’s pace attack will be manned by Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami while Bhuvneshwar Kumar could prove to be a perfect support for them. Deepak Chahar could also find a berth.
Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Siraj could be among the dark horses along with left-arm pacer Chetan Sakariya who recently played in Sri Lanka.
Likely India squad for the T20 World Cup (including reserves): Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Chetan Sakariya, Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Deepak Chahar, Shikhar Dhawan, Ishan Kishan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Rahul Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Krunal Pandya and Prithvi Shaw.
