After first-choice all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja suffered a knee injury during the Asia Cup 2022 that prevented him from competing in the T20 World Cup 2022, all-rounder Akshar Patel of India was recalled to the national team.
Akshar put up a remarkable show with the ball in the last two bilateral series before the T20 World Cup against Australia and South Africa at home, bagging 10 wickets in 6 T20Is across both series. He also displayed his pinch-hitting prowess during the ODI leg of the West Indies tour earlier this year.
Sunil Gavaskar, the former captain of India, thinks that the spin all-rounder will be crucial if the Men in Blue have to win the Cup in Australia.
Gavaskar stated in an interview with India Today that if India chooses to play two spinners in Australia, Akshar Patel and R Ashwin may be included in the starting XI.
"I think he will be a crucial player in the squad. If they go in with 2 spinners, that will be Akshar Patel and R Ashwin. 3 fast bowlers, and Hardik Pandya as the 6th bowling option. Akshar, yes, he is a top fielder. He has this knack of getting wickets in any form of the game, be it Tests, ODIs, or T20Is. And as a batter, we have seen him in the West Indies, winning games for India," he said.
"I think he will be a key cog in the wheel of Rohit Sharma’s ambitions of lifting this trophy," he added.
The batting legend continued by saying that Mohammad Shami's final over during the warm-up game against the host nation on October 17 was immaculate and that opener KL Rahul's return to form is encouraging for the 2007 T20 World Cup champions.
"The bowling of Mohammad Shami, he bowled just one over but he got his yorkers spot on and that’s a very important delivery. Also, I think some of the time spent in the middle by KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav.
"Rahul batted brilliantly, just like we see him bat in the IPL. He goes bang, bang. It was so nice to see. It’s again telling the world… look he came into the season late because of injury issues and after that surely it takes a bit of time and that time he has used. Now he is looking very good," he added further.
Rohit and his men will open their T20 World Cup 2022 campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan at the iconic MCG on Sunday (October 23).
(INDIA TODAY INPUTS)
