An extra batter or an extra pacer? Different schools of thoughts continue to trouble Rahul Dravid ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup. While India’s batting order is more-or-less settled, the bowling attack is far from being fixed. Now the question rises as to how Ravindra Jadeja and Shivam Dube fit in India’s bowling attack.
As for the pace department, Jasprit Bumrah leads the charge with Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh. Hardik Pandya provides an additional pace bowling attack as the team’s only pacer all-rounder. Shivam Dube is also a pacer but he has been used only as a batter via the impact rule by CSK in IPL 2024. In terms of spin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal form India’s spin trio.
Spin Heavy or Pace Reliant?
The primordial question continues – 3 spinners or 4 pacers? In an ideal scenario, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav form the spinner duo. While India go for Bumrah, Siraj, Arshdeep and Hardik as the 4 pace options. If India needs an extra finisher in the team, then Dube gets his chance, but then either of Siraj or Arshdeep will have to drop.
In that scenario, Bumrah, Hardik and the third pacer form the three pace options in the team. As for the pitches in USA, it should provide equal assistance to bowlers and batters. But the pitch will be on the slower sides, assisting the spinners.
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On the other hand, it would be risky to ask Shivam Dube to bowl. The southpaw last bowled in the IND vs AFG T20I series, Following which he sustained a side strain and missed matches in Ranji Trophy. Throughout, IPL, Chennai Super Kings used him as a finisher.
Thus it will be very difficult to use both Jadeja and Dube in the same starting XI. Jadeja will partner Kuldeep or Chahal as the dual spinners in the team. And after assessing the pitch, India can take a call on whether to use 4 pacers or use Dube as an extra batter in the team.
