Engineer was happy with Rahul Chahar and Suryakumar Yadav’s selection.
Former India cricketer Farokh Engineer has expressed huge disappointment over opener Shikhar Dhawan's omission from India’s 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2021.
However, Engineer was pleased with Rahul Chahar and Suryakumar Yadav’s selection for the T20 World Cup 2021 to be played in the UAE and Oman in October-November. He also felt that Team India has got a good squad for the upcoming showpiece event starting on October 17.
Well, Dhawan was among surprising exclusions from the Indian squad, as the senior opener wasn’t even picked as a reserve player came and Engineer was surprised that a player of his caliber failed to make the cut, but understands how it was difficult for the selectors to leave him.
He believes that Dhawan is a world-class batsman who has done fantastically well so far for the country and would easily walk into any T20 team in the world, but admitted the depth in the Indian cricket team has made it difficult for the selectors to pick him as they went with KL Rahul.
Engineer told Sports Tak: “I haven't exactly studied it. I only heard it once. But it seems that all the top players are there. Suryakumar Yadav is in the squad, which I am really happy to see. Chahar is a very good bowler, and there is Jasprit Bumrah of course. I think with Ravindra Jadeja and Rohit Sharma, the balance of the team is good. I think we've got a good squad.”
He further noted, “Shikhar Dhawan… well, I'm surprised that he has been omitted because he has come in and done fantastically well. But that is such a huge problem for the Indian selectors that players such as Dhawan are getting to be dropped, which is a huge disappointment because he would walk into any international team as a batsman. He has proved himself time and again and I don't think a player of his caliber should be on trial.”
Engineer also backed Rahul to do well with Rohit Sharma at the top of the order in the T20 World Cup, where India will open their campaign against Pakistan on October 24 in Dubai.
He signed off by saying, “But who do you drop? KL Rahul has done very well. He is superb; one of the best batsmen in the world, I think. Rohit Sharma is on top of his form. Still, I think it's a very good team they have picked and I think we have every chance of winning the T20 World Cup.”