Former Indian fast bowler Zaheer Khan picked his 15-member Team India squad for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024.
The selection of RCB pacer Yash Dayal is noteworthy since it gives India’s fast-bowling attack a fresh start, particularly in light of Mohammed Shami’s injury.
“With Mohammed Shami unavailable due to injury, Yash Dayal’s versatility makes him a strong option for India’s 15-man T20 World Cup squad. He can deliver with the new ball and can bowl effectively at the death. He can play multiple roles depending on match situations and other bowlers’ form,” Zaheer Khan said.
Another surprising choice was the selection of Rishabh Pant as the sole wicketkeeper in the squad. However, Zaheer justified this choice by prioritizing four frontline pace bowlers over a backup wicketkeeper, acknowledging other talented options like KL Rahul and Sanju Samson.
“Rishabh Pant is my first-choice wicketkeeper because I prioritized selecting four fast bowlers for the team. Sacrificing a pace bowler to include a second wicketkeeper would reduce our bowling options. We do have other wicketkeeping options like KL Rahul, Sanju Samson, and Dinesh Karthik, who many want to see play. At this stage, we could also consider the veteran Mahendra Singh Dhoni given his tremendous strike rate. I expect the focus will be on current wicketkeepers like Samson, Rahul, or possibly Jitesh Sharma. The traveling reserve wicketkeeper spot remains open for discussion,” he added.
Zaheer Khan included 16 players in his squad but specified that only one of Shubman Gill or Yashasvi Jaiswal would be selected as the second opener alongside Rohit Sharma.
“The selectors face a difficult decision in choosing only one opener between two excellent candidates, Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal. I believe they will select just one of the openers to allow flexibility in the batting order, as the selectors wants players who can fulfill multiple roles rather than be limited to a single position,” he concluded.
Zaheer Khan’s India squad for T20 WC-
Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill/Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Yash Dayal, Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal.