After the announcement of India’s T20 World Cup squad on Tuesday, captain Rohit Sharma and chief selector Ajit Agarkar held a press conference to clarify issues surrounding the team selection.
Focus on spin bowling: Axar Patel gets the nod for Rinku Singh
A key point of discussion was the omission of middle-order batsman Rinku Singh. Explaining the decision to include an additional spinner, Axar Patel, Agarkar said, “He [Rinku Singh] Did nothing wrong… We thought another bowling option might be handy. It was tough for him but at the end of the day we had to choose the team.
Sharma echoed this sentiment and revealed his preference for a spin-heavy attack. “I wanted 4 spinners in the squad. “I won’t reveal the reason for this here, I’ll let you know in the US,” he said, leaving room for speculation.
KL Rahul doesn’t fit the middle-order role perfectly
Another much discussed topic was the absence of KL Rahul. Agarkar clarified that Rahul’s opening role as a batsman did not suit the current needs of the team.
“We look at who is in the middle class. Rishabh at 5 for DC.” [Delhi Capitals]. Sanju [Samson] has the ability to lower the order. “It’s not about who is better and who isn’t,” he explained, highlighting Sanju Samson’s mediocre batting skills.
Virat Kohli’s strike rate: Nothing to worry about
Concerns over Virat Kohli’s IPL strike rate were also raised. Despite Kohli’s consistent run-scoring, some questioned his recent strike rate. Agarkar dismissed these concerns and said: “We have not discussed Virat Kohli’s strike rate at all. He has performed really well in the IPL, there is no point in thinking about it.”
Another interesting point was the appointment of Hardik Pandya as vice-captain despite his recent absence due to injury. Highlighting Pandya’s value, Agarkar said, “As long as he (Hardik Pandya) is fit, there is no substitute for what he can do… He also gives the captain a lot of options and is just coming back after a long break.”
The lack of an off-spinner in the squad also raised questions. Elaborating on this, Rohit explained, “We discussed whether we should have an off-spinner or not. Washy.” [Washington Sundar] hasn’t played much cricket… We thought having two left-arm spinners was the way to go.
Expectations from all-rounders: Shivam Dube and Hardik Pandya
When asked about the expectations of all-rounders Shivam Dube and Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma looked at their IPL performances as an indicator. “Expect them to do what they are in the IPL…Shivam hasn’t bowled in the IPL but he is an experienced cricketer…When he plays in T20, it’s all about skills coming into play… The same goes for Hardik too; he bowled regularly in the IPL,” he said.
With the press conference bringing some clarity on the team selection process, all eyes are now on the upcoming T20 World Cup and the performances of the selected Indian squad.
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