IND vs SA LIVE: India Playing XI 1st T20: After nearly 6 months on the sidelines, Deepak Chahar came back strongly in Zimbabwe. But for some reason, his comeback has been stalled. Chahar has played just one T20 in Asia Cup. Even though Umesh Yadav got a go against Australia, Rohit Sharma kept Chahar absent. But with Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Hardik Pandya both being rested for the South Africa series, Chahar will now compete for a place with Rishabh Pant, especially with Deepak Hooda also missing out. Follow India vs SouthAfrica LIVE Updates on InsideSport.IN.
What prevented Deepak Chahar from making the Playing XI was Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Both pacers are considered similar in nature. However, India will have a dilemma. Although both Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik are part of the 15-member T20 World Cup squad, if both play, India will be limited to only five bowling options. Hence, Deepak Chahar’s inclusion makes a strong case, especially Deepak Hooda’s back injury and Mohammed Shami is in recovery from Covid-19.
IND vs SA LIVE: No Hardik & Bhuvneshwar, Rohit Sharma to take BIG call on Deepak Chahar & Rishabh Pant against South Africa, Follow IND vs SA 1st T20 LIVE Updates
IND vs SA LIVE: Deepak Chahar or Rishabh Pant?
- Jasprit Bumrah, Harshal Patel and Arshdeep Singh will be the first-choice three pacers.
- With Axar Patel and Yuzvendra Chahal, India will only have 5 bowling options.
- If both Dinesh Karthik and Rishabh Pant play, India will have no 6th bowling option.
- Bowling is one area, where India have struggled in recent times.
- Bumrah and Harshal both have been expensive on their return from injury.
- Rohit Sharma has all but confirmed that Dinesh Karthik will be India’s priority and not Rishabh Pant in T20 WC.
- Hence, it can be assumed that Deepak Chahar has exactly 3 matches left to get a hard look at the combinations.
- What Deepak Chahar brings in is his all-round skills. He may not be an out-and-out all-rounder like Hardik Pandya but he has proven his worth with the bat time and again.
- Rishabh Pant will be limited to batting and keeping and in case of any on-field injury to any bowler, India will have just four bowlers left.
- Hence, Deepak Chahar is likely to ace Pant for the place in Playing Xi for 1st T20.
IND vs SA LIVE: No Hardik & Bhuvneshwar, Rohit Sharma to take BIG call on Deepak Chahar & Rishabh Pant against South Africa, Follow IND vs SA 1st T20 LIVE Updates
However, there is this dilemma. Rohit wants game time for both Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik ahead of T20 World Cup. Considering that, Deepak Chahar’s place in the Playing XI will depend on a last-minute call.
“It depends on the situation. I obviously wanted these guys to have a number of games under their belt before the World Cup. When we went to the Asia Cup, both the guys were in the fray to play all the games. Whenever there is an opportunity or if there is a tactical matchup, we can bring in those guys,” Rohit Sharma said after Australia series.
But I just feel that Dinesh needs a little more game time, so does Pant. Honestly speaking Pant needs some game time as well. But looking at how this series was important for me to just stick to that consistent batting lineup,” he added.
IND vs SA LIVE: No Hardik & Bhuvneshwar, Rohit Sharma to take BIG call on Deepak Chahar & Rishabh Pant against South Africa, Follow IND vs SA 1st T20 LIVE Updates
India squad for South Africa T20Is: Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dinesh Karthik (WK), R. Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav, Shreyas Iyer
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