T20 World Cup: Avesh Khan added in Team India’s squad as net bowler, Sanju Samson asked to stay back in UAE – Delhi Capitals speedster Avesh Khan has been asked by the BCCI to stay back in the UAE after the IPL to join India’s T20 World Cup squad as a net bowler. Rajasthan Royal’s captain Sanju Samson has also been asked to stay back in UAE by the BCCI.
The 24-year-old Avesh Khan is the second fast bowler, after Kashmiri pace sensation Umran Malik, who has been asked to join the team and if BCCI sources are to be believed, the lanky fast bowler could well make it to the standby list by the time the World Cup starts on Sunday. India will open their campaign on October 24 against Pakistan.
T20 World Cup: After Umran Malik and Harshal Patel, Virat Kohli adds another IPL 2021 star Avesh Khan as net bowler for Team India
Also read: IPL 2021: Virat Kohli bids goodbye to RCB captaincy with heartfelt message for fans – Check out
“The national selectors have decided to also include Avesh in the mix. As of now, he will be a net bowler but if the team management feels, he can be upgraded,” a BCCI source close to the selection committee told PTI on Tuesday.
T20 World Cup: Avesh bowls at an express pace and in this edition of the IPL, he has picked 23 wickets for the Capitals with DC still alive in the competition.
He is second in the list of wicket-takers with Harshal Patel leading the pack with 32 scalps.
“Avesh bowls at an average speed of 142 to 145 clicks, earns disconcerting bounce from the flattest of decks and has been on support staff’s radar for some time,” the source said.
Avesh was in England with the Test squad as a standby but a freak finger fracture during India’s match against Combined Counties cut short his tour.
Sanju Samson asked to stay back in UAE
BCCI has also asked Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson to stay back in UAE until further notice. Though Samson’s team failed to make it to the playoffs, his form with the bat came to the notice of many, and with India’s final squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup, beginning on October 17, to be named on October 15, hopes are high here that Samson might be drafted in as some of those selected are either struggling with niggles or poor form.
Samson, in his outings in the UAE leg of the current edition of the IPL, has scored 207 runs in seven matches, with 82 as his highest score, and followed up with 70 not out. He has the added advantage of being a wicket-keeper too, which he was for his team.
T20 World Cup: Many believe that Avesh had a good chance of playing had he got into the squad and all five Tests were held in England.
Hardik to stay back as batter, Venkatesh Iyer to join as cover:
All-rounder Hardik Pandya will be staying with the Indian team but is expected to play purely as a batter in the T20 World Cup as his back is still not in a condition to take the stress of fast medium bowling.
T20 World Cup: After Umran Malik and Harshal Patel, Virat Kohli adds another IPL 2021 star Avesh Khan as net bowler for Team India
