Accoridng to the latest reports of Cricbuzz, the Indian team management may ask Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) pacer Harshal Patel, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) opener Venkatesh Iyer, and fast bowler Shivam Mavi to join Team India for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2021 which begins on October 17 in UAE and Oman.
Earlier Jammu fast bowler, Umran Malik was already named as a net bowler for the Indian team after impressing in his maiden IPL season for the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), where he clocked over 150 kph with ease and consistency. Much like Malik, all three in Patel, Iyer, and Mavi have performed well for their respective IPL franchises, who both qualified for the playoffs.
Atleast two of the Harshal Patel, Shivam Mavi, and Venkatesh Iyer can be expected to be asked to stay back in Dubai, where the Indian players are quarantining currently ahead of the tournament.
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The reports of teh Cricbuzz added, “The instructions will be relayed after Monday’s Eliminator so that the player(s) will not exit the bubble and instead transfer from one bubble to another. Teams can change their teams seven days prior to the start of their support period. India’s support period starts with the Super 12 which begin on Oct 23. So, they have time to change the team till Oct 15 midnight.”
On the other hand, all-rounder Hardik Pandya’s participation in the T20 World Cup 2021 for Team India seems doubtful.
Elaborating the same, a BCCI source said, “It’s not decided if Hardik will be dropped altogether if he doesn’t get bowling ready. But he is running out of time as an allrounder. If any one of Thakur and Deepak gets in, then there’s a chance of the selectors asking Harshal Patel to stay back in UAE.”
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He further added, “The selectors will wait and watch on how Hardik shapes up in the next few days. The selectors went with just three genuine pacers because it was believed Hardik would be fit enough to bowl his quota of overs. Since he hasn’t bowled at all in the IPL, there’s no form to go by.”
India, who are placed in Group B, will begin their campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan on October 24.
Some of the recent reports also suggested that Delhi Capitals (DC) speedster Avesh Khan has been asked by the BCCI to stay back in the UAE after the IPL to join India’s T20 World Cup squad as a net bowler.
As per the quotes in PTI, one of their sources in BCCI said, ‘The national selectors have decided to also include Avesh in the mix. As of now, he will be a net bowler but if the team management feels, he can be upgraded. Avesh bowls at an average speed of 142 to 145 clicks, earns disconcerting bounce from the flattest of decks and has been on support staff’s radar for some time.”
