India suffered an ignominious exit in the last T20 World Cup. The team seemed keen to hit the reset button post the mega event last year. But if one skims through India’s World Cup Team selected for this year, the team wears a familiar look. There are hardly any surprises in terms of players’ selection.
Faith in Experience Over X-Factor Players:
The selectors and the management have opted for experience heavily this time around. India’s squad thus looks thin on the X-factor part. There is hardly a player selected in the fifteen who could be the unknown quantity to surprise oppositions. Hence a few notable exclusions have drawn a lot of chatter on social media.
We Look At a Few Such Notable Exclusions From India’s World Cup Team:
#1 Mohammad Shami
He had a fresh lease of T20 life in IPL 2022. Mohammad Shami played an important role in Gujarat Titans’ title-winning campaign. He struck early with the new ball. Shami returned to hurt sides at the death too.
It was a welcome departure for the pacer who drew flak in last year’s T20 World Cup. But the selectors have only selected him as a standby for the World Cup. He earned this spot only because of the Indian pacers’ mediocre showing in the Asia Cup. It will be interesting if the wicket-taking Shami finds a way through.
#2 Ravi Bishnoi
He is one of the players who would feel hard done with the exclusion. Ravi Bishnoi had done everything that was asked of him in the buildup to the World Cup. He was in fact the standout bowler in the crunch game against Pakistan in the Asia Cup.
Bishnoi outbowled his senior partner, Yuzvendra Chahal in the game. But the selectors have clearly chosen experience over novelty. Bishnoi was competing for a spot with Ravichandran Ashwin rather. The old warhorse piped him to the post.
#3 Sanju Samson
There was a lot of buzz surrounding Sanju Samson yesterday on social media. The fans were vociferously cheering for his inclusion in the squad. Samson much like Bishnoi made most of the opportunities that came his way. But those opportunities were few and far between.
He has been riding this phase for quite a while now. Samson who remains one of the most elegantly destructive T20I batsmen continues to wait endlessly. India could have looked to accommodate a talent like him for this global event.
