The T20 World Cup 2022 will take place in Australia.
India has been putting their bench strength to the test in the recent T20I series at home, particularly the bowlers.
In addition to Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shardul Thakur, and Deepak Chahar, who have been first-choices for the past year; the likes of Harshal Patel, Avesh Khan, and Mohammed Siraj have all played in series against the West Indies and Sri Lanka.
Irfan Pathan, a former Indian fast bowler who is also a left-armer himself, advocated for the inclusion of at least one left-arm quick in the T20 World Cup. Pathan also named three players who have a chance to make it to the squad of the global tournament, which will be held in Australia later this year.
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"With all these names (the Indian bowlers already part of the squad), I just want to add another name -- that of a left-arm bowler, and that can be whoever performs in the IPL -- Khaleel Ahmed, Natarajan or Chetan Sakariya. I know Sakariya is a bit rusty at the moment, but if he performs in the IPL, he will be an option. Left is always right!" Pathan said on Star Sports.
Due to the majority of first-team players preparing for the Test series in England last year, Team India went on a limited-overs tour of Sri Lanka last year with a relatively inexperienced squad under the captaincy of Shikhar Dhawan.
Chetan Sakariya, a left-arm pacer, was a member of the squad; however, no left-arm pacer has represented India in the shortest format of the game since then.
Khaleel Ahmed last played for India in a T20I against Bangladesh in November. Meanwhile, Natarajan had previously represented India in a series against England last year; however, a knee injury kept him out of the first half of the Indian Premier League season in 2021, and he eventually fell down the pecking order for international selection.