Former Indian pacer Irfan Pathan has shared his anticipated list of 15 players for the upcoming ICC men’s T20 World Cup. Rohit Sharma is named as the skipper, while Shivam Dube gets the nod over Hardik Pandya, provided he bowls regularly. Shubman Gill, Sanju Samson, and Yuzvendra Chahal are included as backups.
Notable exclusions from Pathan’s list include KL Rahul, Ravichandran Ashwin, Dinesh Karthik, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, despite their previous contributions to India’s winning moments. Other players not making the cut are Axar Patel, Harshal Patel, Abhishek Sharma, Riyan Parag, and Deepal Chahar.
The Ajit Agarkar-led BCCI selection board is expected to meet Indian skipper Rohit Sharma after the DC vs. MI IPL 2023 match on April 27. Following this meeting, the Indian squad for the T20 World Cup is likely to be announced. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has set May 1 as the final deadline for the squad announcement.
Several former Indian players, including Suresh Raina and Simon Doull, have advocated for Shivam Dube’s selection over Hardik Pandya, citing Dube’s impressive performance in the ongoing Indian Premier League. They believe Dube’s batting prowess and potential bowling skills make him a more valuable asset to the team at this stage.