Much like other cricketing teams from across the world, India –who declared their 2022 Asia Cup squad only yesterday– has eyes set on the 2022 T20 World Cup that kicks off on October 16.
Notably, Team India has played a lot of T20 internationals this year compared to other title contenders like Australia, RSA and England.
India is also set to feature in the Asia Cup that begins on 27 August. Their 15-man squad is expected to utilise the tournament as a rehearsal stage for the 2022 T20 World Cup.
Bumrah and Harshal are to be named in the 2022 T20 World Cup squad in the place of THESE TWO players
The Men in Blue announced their Asia Cup 2022 squad yesterday as Virat Kohli & KL Rahul made their international comebacks.
On the other hand, Jasprit Bumrah & Harshal Patel missed out on a place due to respective back and rib injuries.
Here is the 15-strong squad that was declared by the BCCI on the 8th of August:
?#TeamIndia squad for Asia Cup 2022 – Rohit Sharma (Capt ), KL Rahul (VC), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, R Pant (wk), Dinesh Karthik (wk), Hardik Pandya, R Jadeja, R Ashwin, Y Chahal, R Bishnoi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan.
— BCCI (@BCCI) August 8, 2022
To the surprise of many, Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson were dropped. On the contrary, despite proving expensive in consecutive games against the Caribbean, speedster Avesh Khan held onto his place.
Regardless, according to a recent report, the 25-year-old pacer won’t be a part of India’s 2022 T20 World Cup squad.
From the Asia Cup squad, there might be only 2 changes for World Cup squad: Bumrah and Harshal in for Ashwin/Bishnoi and Avesh.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) August 9, 2022
Reputed cricket reporter Johns (@CricCrazyJohns) had made it clear in a tweet that once a fit-again Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel make it to India’s squad for T20 World Cup 2022, Khan and Ravi Bishnoi/Ashwin are going to be axed to make way for them. The other 13 members will be the same as in India’s Asia Cup squad.
Though the T20I career of Avesh has been a trainwreck, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravi Bishnoi (in particular) have impressed in the limited opportunities they have got. It’ll be a really harsh call from Rohit and Dravid to drop either of the two spinners. Surely.
Nevertheless, the 2022 T20 World Cup is going to be held on bouncy and pacer-friendly Australian pitches. So picking another pace option (Harshal) at the expense of a spinner is inevitable.