 The Indian selectors will be meeting today to select the Indian team for the ICC
World T20 that happens in the West Indies from the end of April. They have some
interesting decisions to make as they sit to select the 15 players who will be
on that flight to the West Indies.
Batsmen:
There are some like Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina who should
make it to the squad without any issues. But then, there is a question mark
over the fitness of Gautam Gambhir and hence it needs to be seen whether he
does get selected or is replaced. One senses that he may be selected, but the
selectors may go for an extra opening batsman like Dinesh Karthik in
the squad. Karthik is in a good batting form and can also double up as a wicket-keeper.
This will assist the side given that MS Dhoni is the other player who is injured
and despite his presence in the Mumbai game yesterday, could require a back-up
wicket-keeper. Karthik provides both, the opening and wicket-keeping options.
Bowlers:
This is an interesting one. Zaheer Khan looks fit and should be taken, but one
cannot be sure about the rest of the pack. There is Ishant Sharma who clearly
needs a break, and then there are likes of Sreesanth, RP Singh, Praveen Kumar
and Vinay Kumar, all of whom have a decent chance. Ashish Nehra is unfit and
may be given the boot.
Amongst the spinners, Harbhajan Singh makes it to squad for sure, but apart
from him, it could be a question mark between Amit Mishra and Pragyan
Ojha. If the spinners decide to go ahead with a back-up, Mishra may get the
nod.
All-rounders:
The all-round section consists of three main guys. There is Ravindra Jadeja,
Yusuf Pathan and then there is Irfan Pathan. Despite the absence of Jadeja
in the IPL due to the fact that he was banned by the IPL governing council,
he will be a definite selection for the ICC World T20. Amongst the other two,
Yusuf should again be a certainty, given that he adds that extra bit with both,
the bat and the ball, and can definitely change the direction the match is heading
with his powerful stroke-play. The biggest question is to do with his brother,
Irfan, who wasn't in the 30 member preliminary squad. Will his all-round performances
in the IPL get him a nod? Questions still to be answered!
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