Former Indian opener Sunil Gavaskar has questioned the team’s selection for the first T20I against AuFormer Indian opener Sunil Gavaskar has questioned the team’s selection for the first T20I against Australia, which was played in Mohali on Tuesday. India lost the first game of the series by four wickets after Australia chase down the big score of 209 runs.
stralia, which was played in Mohali on Tuesday. India lost the first game of the series by four wickets after Australia chase down the big score of 209 runs.
India drafted Umesh Yadav in the final XI as the fast bowler played in the T20I format after almost three years. Yadav was added to the team’s squad after Mohammad Shami was ruled out after testing positive for Covid-19.
But Yadav is neither part of India’s World Cup squad nor the reserve players list whereas Deepak Chahar is part of the standy players list for the T20I showpiece.
Thus, Gavaskar feels it would have made more sense if Deepak Chahar had played in the first T20I against Australia ahead of Umesh Yadav as the former would have been able to get the crucial game time under his belt.
Yadav proved to be expensive as he conceded 27 runs in the two overs he bowled but took two wickets in the same over as he dismissed Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell.
Sunil Gavaskar said while talking to Sports Today, “I think it’s best addressed to team management to what their thinking was to take someone like Umesh Yadav, who is not even in the reserves and not playing Deepak Chahar.
“Deepak Chahar is also coming out of an injury. But you need to have the leg mile under your belt before you go into a big tournament like the World Cup. If you go as Deepak Chahar a standby bowler and suddenly in Australia somebody gets injured, he is not going to do a proper job because he wouldn’t get the rhythm.
“So that is a question best addressed at the next media conference to the team management as to why they picked Umesh Yadav and not Deepak Chahar. Unless Chahar had a niggle, which we don’t know anything about,” said Gavaskar.
Meanwhile, Jasprit Bumrah didn’t play in the first T20I against Australia however the gun fast bowler is expected to return to the final XI in the second T20I at Nagpur, which will be played on Friday.
