Team India came into the Asia Cup 2022 as the defending champions but the Men in Blue have not been able to play like one. The Rohit & Co. having lost both their Super Fours’ games are staring down the barrel of an early exit from the competition.
The Asian tournament was seen as a preparation for the World Cup where the No.1 T20I side could fix the chinks in their armory. But the poor showing has fuelled more questions than given answers. India needs to finalize their World Cup squad by September 16 and the Asia Cup fiasco could lead to some players making a comeback for the marquee event.
5 Players who might comeback to India's T20I team
1. Mohammed Shami
Mohammed Shami used to be India’s ace bowler across formats. The 32-year-old is still one of the premier bowlers in ODIs and Tests but has been sidelined in the shortest format after the 2021 World Cup's poor campaign.
Shami had an outstanding season with the Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League 2022. The veteran bowler took 20 wickets in 16 matches at an economy of 8. He was wrecker-in-chief for his franchise at the powerplay and was quite a handful with his yorkers at the death. The Bengal-born was very instrumental in Gujarat’s IPL victory.
In this Asia Cup, India lacked the bite in their bowling. They were not able to dent the opposition early. This void can be filled by Shami. He is a tone-setter with the ball and can rattle opposition up front. Also, in tournaments like World Cup, experience is like gold dust and the pace bowler's inclusion could be on the cards.
2. Ishan Kishan
Ishan Kishan has been one of the exciting cricketers in the limited-overs circuit. He can take the attack to the opposition from the get-go and is a proven performer in the T20 circuit. Kishan has made 19 appearances for the Men in blue and has scored 543 runs at a strike rate of 131.15.
The 24-year-old has been a constant feature in the Indian T20 setup of late. But due to a slight dip in form and with the senior players coming back to the squad, the youngster was sidelined from the ongoing multi-nation tournament.
India has been trying to adopt a fearless approach to their batting but KL Rahul’s scratchy outings have not helped the cause. Rohit & co. needs a basher at the top who can play freely. This is exactly what Kishan can do. Moreover, he is a left-hander and his inclusion provides a left-right combination at the top.
3. Washington Sundar
Washington Sundar has been one of India’s top all-rounders in the limited overs format. The 22-year-old was in line to make it to the last year’s T20 World Cup but was ruled out due to injury. Given India’s veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is out injured, the youngster could be in-line to make a comeback at the upcoming World Cup.
India struggled to find the right balance in their previous two outings at the Asia Cup. This is where Sundar comes into the scene. He can slot in at No.7 and can bowl overs at any stage of the game. The bowling all-rounder’s batting prowess is on a rise and this was showcased in this year’s IPL.
Sundar being an off-spinner can form an excellent pair with the leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal. The 22-year-old has been a pro in bowling at the powerplay and provides flexibility to the bowling line-up.
4. Sanju Samson
Sanju Samson is among the most classy cricketers in the Indian circuit. He has shown a lot of promise but failed to replicate in the international arena as per his standards. But in the last few years, The 27-year-old seems to have grown as a player and consistency has been added to his stylish shot-making. In the last two years in IPL, he has scored over 450 runs at a strike rate of over 135.
Samson was in the reckoning for an Asia cup slot but unfortunately missed the cut. India have been big on playing a fearless brand of cricket but has not been able to execute it in the ongoing competition. This has brought the Trivandrum-born into the limelight. He has been a basher against both pace and spin and has shown his prowess with the bat in IPL over the years.
Samson can play at the top and also the middle order. He has a very good hook and pull shot which is very important in Australia. The Men in Blue have struggled against left-arm pace and spin and the Kerela cricketer can be the answer to that as well.
5. Shardul Thakur
Shardul Thakur is a hit-the-deck bowler and is more than handy with the bat. The 30-year-old was in the Indian setup for last year’s T20 World Cup and this year too can break into the Indian team. The all-rounder has represented India in 25 matches and picked 33 wickets.
India missed a middle-order enforcer who could dent opposition at regular intervals. Also, the Men in Blue lacked the batting depth with Harshal Patel out injured. Someone like Shardul can fill both these voids.
The Palghar-born is a wicket-taker and has many variations up his sleeve. Shardul has a variety of slower balls and cutters in his repertoire which will prove beneficial in Australian conditions. Also, he can slot in at No.8 and can tonk the ball in the final stages of the innings. This adds to the team’s batting depth and the batters up-front can play more freely.
from CricTracker https://ift.tt/19YdIH0
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