T20 World Cup – India Squad for World Cup: The Board of Control for Cricket in India has confirmed that there will be no changes in Team India’s squad for the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 unless there is an injury. Earlier, it was believed that Team India’s squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 could see some changes as selectors, skipper Virat Kohli and vice-captain Rohit Sharma were due to have 1 final call. Especially there was a question mark over Hardik Pandya’s place in the team. InsideSport has learnt that changes are unlikely at this stage with Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan returning to form.
“You can’t drop Surya and Ishan when they score 80 odd runs in 30 odd balls. They might not have done well in the previous matches but their return to form is great to see. Shreyas hasn’t really picked up from the 40-odd runs. There is another World Cup next year and we will see how he does before that. We have a balanced squad at the moment,” a BCCI source told InsideSport.
Also Read: T20 World Cup: IPL 2021’s fastest bowler Umran Malik selected as Team India’s net bowler
T20 World Cup: Deadline for BCCI to submit final Indian squad to ICC today, ‘no changes likely, decision on Chahal up to team management’ – Follow live
Yuzvendra Chahal likely to stay back? There is also a buzz that BCCI will ask in-form leg-spinner, Yuzvendra Chahal, to stay back in UAE. Rahul Chahar, who was preferred over Chahal for the World Cup, had a dip in form and was dropped from MI’s Playing XI. On the other hand, but Chahal has shown better form in the ongoing IPL & BCCI selectors will ask him to stay put in UAE and in case of injury can be drafted in the team.
“All are in form, there is no need to change the squad. Chahal has done well but Chahar was picked keeping some specific criteria in mind. If the team management requests, Chahal will stay back as injury cover but no decision has been taken,” the source said.
T20 World Cup – Hardik Pandya to join the squad: Meanwhile, Hardik Pandya is expected to join the Team India camp in Dubai “in a day or two” and the BCCI medical team will take over his fitness regime from Mumbai Indians medical team. With the first match of the World Cup just two weeks away, Team India is monitoring the all-rounder’s fitness closely.
“Mumbai medical team are coordinating with BCCI. He will join the camp in a day or two and we will take it from there. He has regained his fitness and hopefully, in the next two weeks, he will be ready,” the source added.
India Squad T20 WC: Virat Kohli (Capt), Rohit Sharma (vc), KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Rahul Chahar, Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohd Shami.
Standby players: Shreyas Iyer, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar
Also Read: T20 World Cup: IPL 2021’s fastest bowler Umran Malik selected as Team India’s net bowler
T20 World Cup: Deadline for submission of final Indian Squad to ICC today, ‘no changes likely but Chahal can be asked to stay back in UAE’: Follow LIVE Updates
IANS has learned that the #BCCI has asked young pacer #UmranMalik to join the #TeamIndia bubble by Sunday as a net bowler. pic.twitter.com/k0sQKrKbRz
— IANS Tweets (@ians_india) October 9, 2021
T20 World Cup: Deadline for BCCI to submit final Indian squad to ICC today, ‘no changes likely, decision on Chahal up to team management’ – Follow live
However, sources said the team will remain the same. “No formal meeting! And no changes will take place in the team unless there is an injury. Yes, the physios are keeping an eye on some of the players and they will share their report with the BCCI. This is a routine nothing new in that. But as of now, no change in the team is happening,” the official told IANS.
The BCCI, when announcing a 15-member squad on September 8, surprised cricket fans by leaving out the likes of Yuzvendra Chahal and Shardul Thakur of the squad.
Along with this Hardik Pandya’s form and fitness are one of the biggest concerns for the management as the star all-rounder didn’t look in his usual batting form and didn’t bowl a single ball in the second leg of the IPL 2021.
Pandya was picked as the fourth seamer in the squad as the Chairman of Selectors, Chetan Sharma had shown faith in him bowling his full quota of overs. With Pandya, not bowling, it may disrupt India’s balance for the T20 World Cup and they might add an extra all-round option.
T20 World Cup: Deadline for BCCI to submit final Indian squad to ICC today, ‘no changes likely, decision on Chahal up to team management’ – Follow live
But sources are to be believed Pandya, too, will remain in the squad and he will start bowling at nets in a couple of days.
T20 World Cup: No changes in Team India’s WC squad – Report
Meanwhile, BCCI has asked young pacer Umran Malik to join the Team India bubble as a net bowler. Several sources in the Board have confirmed that the youngster from Jammu, who made heads turn in the IPL this season with the fastest delivery by an Indian, will enter the Indian team bubble by Sunday.
Sources said that a few uncapped bowlers from the other IPL franchises like IPL Purple Cap leader Harshal Patel also will be asked to stay back in the UAE and join the Indian team bubble as net bowlers for the tournament — which begins next week.
