After Team India's disappointing Asia Cup 2022 campaign, all eyes are on the BCCI selectors with the squad for the T20 World Cup 2022 set to be announced on Monday (September 12), TOI reported.
“Yes, there’ll be an online meeting today afternoon to pick the team for the T20 World Cup,” a reliable source in the BCCI told TOI.
All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is unlikely to be part of the squad. Notably, Jadeja was ruled out of the Asia Cup midway through the tournament due to a knee injury and then underwent surgery to rectify the long-standing issue.
According to the report, pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel are set to make a comeback to the squad, having missed the Asia Cup due to injuries. Apparently, both of them have regained complete fitness and have been training regularly at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore.
With 19 wickets, Harshal has been India’s second-highest wicket-taker in T20Is this year while Bumrah has established himself as a spearhead of the pace attack over the years.
As per the report, Avesh Khan will make way for one of the two pacers as left-arm fast bowler Arshdeep Singh impressed one and all during the Asia Cup 2022.
The report also suggests that seam bowling all-rounder Deepak Chahar has a strong chance of being included in the squad. With seasoned leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal in their ranks, it would be difficult for India to accommodate Ravi Bishnoi, who bowled brilliantly in the Asia Cup Super-4 fixture against Pakistan.
The Rohit Sharma-led Indian side started the Asia Cup with a bang, winning both their group matches against Pakistan and Hong King. However, their campaign got derailed in the Super-4 stage of the competition after suffering back-to-back defeats at the hands of Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Although the Men in Blue crushed Afghanistan by 101 runs in their last Super-4 clash, it was too late by then to qualify for the final.
India will begin their T20 World Cup 2022 campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan at Melbourne Cricket Ground on October 23.
(With TOI inputs)
