Former India captain and coach Ravi Shastri urged the Indian team to see an opportunity to unearth a new champion playing in absence of ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, both of whom will miss the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022 due to their respective injuries.
Jadeja suffered a knee injury during the Asia Cup 2022 and underwent surgery for the same, with Akshar Patel replacing him in the India XI seamlessly. Jasprit Bumrah, on the other hand, suffered a stress fracture in his back and BCCI is yet to name his replacement for the ICC event which begins in Australia on October 16.
Talking about the same, Ravi Shastri said: “(It’s) unfortunate. There’s so much cricket being played, and people get injured. He is injured, but it’s an opportunity for somebody else. There is nothing you can do with injury. I think we have got enough strength and we have a good team. I have always believed if you make it to the semifinals, it could be anyone’s tournament.”
The endeavor would be to start well, get to the semis, and then have got enough strength to probably win the (World) Cup, for all you know. Bumrah not being there, Jadeja not being there — it hampers the side — but it’s an opportunity to unearth a new champion," Shastri said at the launch of Coaching Beyond, his new initiative with B. Arun and R. Sridhar in Chennai.
Multiple reports have suggested that Mohammad Shami is the frontrunner to replace Jasprit Bumrah in India’s T20 World Cup squad. However, he hasn’t played T20Is since the last T20 World Cup in UAE in 2021.
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Shami was picked in India’s squads for the series against Australia and South Africa. But he missed out on playing both series due to a Covid-19 positive result. However, he has sufficient experience playing in Australia and even played in the 2015 World Cup down under.
“Precisely, his experience (in Australian conditions is his strength). India have been there a lot in the last six years and he has been an integral part of all those tours. So that experience (of having done well in Australia) counts," added Shastri.
(IANS inputs)
