File photo of Rahul Dravid and Khaleel Ahmed.© BCCI
As the deadline for the Indian T20 World Cup squad approaches, former batsman Navjot Singh Sidhu has advised head coach Rahul Dravid and selectors not to compromise on quality bowlers while choosing the team. Sidhu feels that if the selectors compromise on the bowling and pick one extra batsman, the tournament will end in disappointment for India, who last won an ICC event in 2013. Replying to a question, Sidhu advised Dravid and the selectors to get three spinners and as many quality fast bowlers.
Sidhu also accounted for the unlikely selection of Delhi Capitals (DC) pacer Khaleel Ahmed, ignoring star pacer Jasprit Bumrah.
“My immediate advice to Rahul Dravid is that if you want to win this tournament, you have to have five wicket-taking bowlers, simple. The collapse of a team's character comes from the compromise point. You have three spinners in Bishnoi, Kuldeep and Jadeja, Whoever picks himself, Mayank Yadav if he is fit, runs into this side Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar and Mohsin Khan should be the fast bowlers,” Sidhu said on Star Sports.
The 60-year-old suggested that India should use their resources as playing extra batters will not win the Rohit Sharma-led team the World Cup.
“India have a lot of options and they should not compromise and pick guys who can bat and bowl a bit. Think of all the World Cup winning captains, they would have gone for quality bowling options. That is the secret.” Batters can't win you the World Cup, even the 8th can't do anything,” he added.
According to reports, the BCCI selectors will meet head coach Rahul Dravid and captain Rohit Sharma later this week to discuss the World Cup squad.
The deadline for submitting selections is May 1. The tournament starts on June 2 in America with India's opening match against Ireland on June 5.
Topics mentioned in this article