The large talent pool in India keeps team management confused during selection of squad: Wasim Jaffer

Former batter Wasim Jaffer has said that the availability of a big talent pool in India is the reason why team management is having a lot of confusion when it comes to identifying and selecting a proper squad for major tournaments.

The last few months leading up to the T20 World Cup  2022 saw a lot of experimentations with the likes of Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, etc. being auditioned for the World Cup spots. The experiments also saw the likes of middle order players Suryakumar Yadav, and, Rishabh Pant being promoted up the order as openers.

We were very confused: Wasim Jaffer

“We were very confused (regarding proper team selections) and that has happened time and again. From the 2019 World Cup, last T20 World Cup to this T20 World Cup, even the Asia Cup I feel that somehow with the availability of so many players we feel like who all should play and who all should not and that has been an issue for a while," said Wasim Jaffer while speaking on ‘Batbricks7 presents Run Ki Runneeti’ on CricTracker.

Things got more complicated when a back injury forced pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah to be ruled out of the ongoing tournament and there was no proper backup for him. Even though senior pacer Mohammed Shami was named his backup, he hadn't played in the shortest format after last year’s T20 World Cup in the UAE.

Even veteran offie Ravichandran Ashwin was named in the Indian squad despite not being in the scheme of things in T20Is. In a rather unfortunate turn of events, youngster Ravi Bishnoi was not included in the playing XI post the Asia Cup while Yuzvendra Chahal who has been India’s most successful spinner this year had to warm the bench throughout the T20 World Cup as the team management showed faith in the likes of Ashwin and left-arm spinner Axar Patel.