The hue and cry that followed Indian cricket team’s announcement for the T20 World Cup next month to be held in Australia was on expected lines. There’s only as many players you can select for the marquee event, 15 to be precise.
Among the critics of the 15-man squad announced earlier this week, the exclusion of Mohammed Shami seems to have evoked a universal disapproval. Their argument is based on the fact that there’s just one express pace bowler in the squad (read Jasprit Bumrah) and on the lively Australian pitches, Shami would have been an obvious choice.
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And not to mention that after being dropped from India’s T20I squad following their forgettable outing at the world cup last year, Shami roared back into form with an impressive show for Gujarat Titans in IPL 2022.
However, batting legend Sunil Gavaskar feels that the selected team has the potential to win the title and need just a bit of luck like others.
“I believe that this team, with a bit of luck that every team needs, can bring home the trophy," Gavaskar told The Indian Express.
He advised that the criticism over the selection should stop now as it can put undue pressure on the players and demolarise them in the run up to a high-profile even as world cup.
“Once the team is selected, then it’s our India team and we all have to back it. We shouldn’t question selections and omissions as it can demoralise some of the players," Gavaskar was quoted as saying.
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Another former India captain and chairman of selector Dilip Vengsarkar had also called for the inclusion of Shami in the squad while adding Shubman Gill and Umran Akmal among his choices.
“I would have picked Mohammed Shami, Umran Malik and Shubman Gill for the T20 World Cup. Would have given them a long run in T20Is because they all had a brilliant IPL season," Vengsarkar told the daily.
The 32-year-old Shami though is in the standby list which gives an indication that the Indian team management is anticipating injury to its fast bowlers during/before the world cup.
T20 World Cup starts from October 16 with the qualifiers.
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