India announced their squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2022 on Monday. Premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah missed out due to an injury while Avesh Khan was picked over Mohammed Shami in the Indian squad for the mega tournament. Many cricket experts around the country feel that the Indian pace attack is looking weak in the absence of Bumrah and Shami should have been picked as he gives the much need experience. However, former India selector Saba Karim feels that the decision was right as BCCI is counting on the youngster to deliver and Avesh has not done anything wrong.
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Speaking exclusively on SPORTS18’s daily sports news show ‘SPORTS OVER THE TOP’, former India selector Saba Karim backed Avesh Khan’s inclusion in the Asia Cup squad. “I feel once you have invested in youngsters like Avesh Khan, you possibly can't leave them out to be barbecued and such youngsters haven't done anything wrong. I can understand Mohammed Shami on current form is a strong bet more so with Jasprit Bumrah out due to injury but it just feels that the selectors want to have that kind of security and they want to persist with the youngsters whom they have shown so much of faith.”
Shami has not played a single T20I since the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 in UAE. Indian team mangement is clear with their thought process that Shami is certain in the ODI and Test squad but not in the T20Is. They have done this with Shikhar Dhawan as well. The southpaw is playing only ODI cricket from last year year or so.
On the show, former New Zealand cricketer Scott Styris spoke about Hardik Pandya taking up the leadership role in future. “I think it's an intriguing discussion because again, six months ago, I don't think it's something we all thought would even be talked about, but Hardik Pandya has made every poster winner, as Saba says. And you know, you see it a lot in football, where players of character and personality are often given the armband to be captain to also allow them to show some responsibility. So, I don't mind this for Hardik Pandya to be given some leadership in this side, whether it now be the vice-captain or in the future as a captain because quite rightly what is the direction this Indian team wants to go, whether it's T20 in terms of its brand, how do they want to play the game? Because Hardik Pandya certainly has the personality of today's player, where they want to go out and expand and show their skills and really just show off to everybody with how good they are. And I think that sort of leadership actually breeds itself and lends itself throughout the team to everybody playing with that style. So, I wouldn't be surprised maybe not for this tournament, but in the future that we do see Hardik Pandya leading this T20 team.”
Styris further spoke about KL Rahul’s selection and Ishan Kishan missing out on the Asia Cup squad. “KL Rahul was a simple decision probably of all the possible match-ups that we’ve discussed, I think this was the easiest one. You see, how valuable to the Indian team to the management and to the selectors because he’s been given the vice-captaincy as well. So that says that he was always a frontline player in this Indian side and I guess it’s unlucky for Ishan Kishan, he’s got that left-handed ability which I think they’d have loved to have got into the squad if they possibly could have because it’s a very right-handed dominant side until to get to someone like Rishabh Pant. So, I think he’ll be disappointed and naturally, he’s a terrific player. But KL Rahul, it is great for India that he’s back because you know, he’s a genuine match winner on the biggest stage too.”
