Another area of debate in shaping the final squad may revolve around the selection of an additional bowler.The inclusion of an extra pace bowler such as Avesh Khan is still uncertain, with the selection dilemma possibly boiling down to a decision between Lucknow Super Giants leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi and Delhi Capitals all-rounder Axar Patel, especially given the traditionally sluggish pitches in the West Indies.
Reports suggest that skipper Rohit Sharma is expected to convene with chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar to deliberate on the team’s framework.
The ICC’s May 1 deadline for the announcement of 15-member squads has put pressure on the BCCI, with expectations high for the squad to be unveiled either by the end of this week or the start of next week.
Hardik Pandya has only bowled 17 overs out of a potential 32 across eight games for MI so far.
As a designated finisher, he has hit only seven sixes in these games, which is below par by every measure. The free-flowing bat-swing is completely missing in the 150 odd runs that he has scored in the tournament so far at a strike-rate of 142.
Can Dinesh Karthik’s finishing skills fetch him WC ticket?
However, Pandya can be called a ‘TINA’ option (There Is No Alternative) for the selectors as Shivam Dube, who is also expected to board the New York bound flight, isn’t bowling either.
Also in terms of skill and pace, Dube the bowler isn’t anywhere close to Pandya but his current batting form (22 sixes in eight games) can’t be ignored either.
Rahul vs Sanju
It can be safely concluded that Rishabh Pant, who is now third among the top run-getters in the competition with 342 at a strike rate of 161, has sealed his place as the team’s No. 1 keeper-batter and also as a designated finisher.
The fight is pretty intense for the second keeper’s slot and despite KL Rahul (302 at 141 SR) not batting in the middle-order, his range of strokes might just help him pip Samson (314 at SR 152).
Samson might again have to be content with being a stand-by inclusion like last year’s 50 over World Cup.
Bishnoi vs Avesh vs Axar
The five bowlers, who have all but sealed their places are Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav.
However, save Bumrah and Kuldeep, the other Indian bowlers haven’t been in great form during IPL and hence the choice of an extra bowler becomes very important.
It will be a three-way fight between Rajasthan Royals’ pacer Avesh, Delhi Capitals left-arm spin bowling all-rounder Axar and Lucknow Super Giants leg-spinner Bishnoi.
Avesh, who has improved a lot as far as his death bowling is concerned, has eight wickets from as many matches with an economy rate of 9.41 while Bishnoi has only taken five wickets but on flat tracks, his economy of 8.47 can be considered impressive.
Axar, who has seven scalps from nine games but is bowling at a rate of just above 7, would be a brilliant choice too taking the conditions into consideration.
Add to it, his batting prowess, scoring runs at a strike of 132, and also the fact that he is a very good all-round fielder.
(With PTI inputs)