Finally, the call has been taken – the Rohit Sharma-led Indian team in the upcoming ICCT20 in United States and West Indies has been chosen. And surprisingly, there is no place for KL Rahul and Rinku Singh as well as Shubman Gill and Ruturaj Gaikwad among the 15-member squad.
The team was chosen by the Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel along with skipper Rohit and coach Rahul Dravid.
The team goes like this: Rohit Sharma (C), Hardik Pandya (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj.
Reserves: Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed and Avesh Khan.
The tournament begins on June 2 and India start their journey against Ireland on June 5.
Is this the right choice? Experts we spoke to say it is a good side. Says former Indian wicket-keeper Ajay Ratra, “See here is too much of competition, But you can only choose 15. I think they have chosen the right combination.”
There are lots of comebacks like Pant, Samson, Chahal, Yadav and surprisingly, there is no place for Rahul who is in sublime form in the IPL, but Ratra says, ‘Samson got the nod because of he being in better form in the ongoing IPL.”
Ex-Indian opening batsman Arun Lal agrees, “I think it’s a balanced side. Going by the nature of the tracks which could be on the slower side, there are quite a few spinners like Kuldeep, Chahal, Axar which is a positive sign.
Dropping Rinku Singh from the 15 and keeping him in the reserves is a disappointment to many but a senior journalist says, he is still not the best finisher after MS Dhoni. He needs time. “Keeping him in the reserves means, if Dube fails, he will get a look in. “That is why he is in the reserves. And I think it is a good side overall,” he adds.
Former cricketer Bhupinder Singh Senior says, “I would have picked Rahul. He has experience at the international level but Samson hasn’t proved his worth yet, so Rahul would have been a better choice.”
Gill missing out is a factor too because he has been in great form but Jaiswal’s recent international performance may have earned him the place.
Ratra feels, selectors might have Rahul in the mind for the longer versions of the game. -Rohit Sharma – led Indian team
Overall, Singh says the unpredictable nature of the tracks may have confused the selectors and the team management. “In T20 you need batting tracks and this team bats deep down, there is no denying,” he says adding Mohd. Shami would be missed.
The social media has started reacting and a lot of sympathy messages are coming for Rinku and Rahul but as they say, ‘Everyone does not get the bus, some miss.”
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