Former selector MSK Prasad picks his Indian squad for the 2021 T20 World Cup

The 2021 T20 World Cup is just a few months away and the tournament will be one that will occupy the center stage in the world of cricket. And, the T20I series against Sri Lanka was the last international assignment that the Indian side faced ahead of the T20 World Cup.

And, former Indian chief selector MSK Prasad reckons that Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, and Rohit Sharma should be the three openers that the Indian side should pick for the T20 World Cup this year. Prasad added that the Indian middle order will comprise Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul, and Rishabh Pant.

Prasad further elaborated on why KL Rahul should bat in the middle order. The former chief selector reasoned that the likes of Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, and Prithvi Shaw already occupy the top order and all are in good form. Prasad reasoned that since the World Cup will be played in Asian conditions, KL Rahul will have to be picked in the Indian side.

“I still feel that Shikhar Dhawan should be there. It should be Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, and Prithvi Shaw as the three openers. And the middle-order will be Virat, SKY, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant. KL is going to play in the middle-order only because there’s Rohit and Shikhar, and even Prithvi Shaw also is in outstanding form. And again, it’s in Asian conditions, so I have a feeling he might be there,” said MSK Prasad in a chat with Sportskeeda.

India’s middle-order is full now: MSK Prasad

MSK Prasad further added that the Indian middle order is full, and apart from Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, and KL Rahul, only one batsman between Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson will make the cut.

The 46-year-old Prasad also stated that he feels pity for Shreyas Iyer, and the right-handed batsman had established himself in the playing XI, and his shoulder injury happened at the wrong time.

“It looks like that, see our middle order is full now. There’s Suryakumar Yadav, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and if at all you are looking at another batsman, it’ll be between Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson. But with both KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant keeping wickets, I doubt whether they’ll go for a third one.

But I feel pity for Shreyas because he was actually picking up really well, he had slowly established his place in the 11 also. Injury happened at a very wrong time,” said the former Indian selector.

As far as the bowling department is concerned, Prasad feels that India will not pick five spinners. Prasad feels that Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, and Krunal Pandya will surely make the cut. He also added that one out of Varun Chakravarthy or Yuzvendra Chahal will be picked as well.

“I don’t think they will take five spinners. Washington Sundar is a T20 specialist bowler, no two ways about it, and Jadeja will anyway be in the squad. Then Krunal Pandya – he can bat, he can bowl, he can field. Apart from these three, whether you’ll go with a Chahal or an ex-factor in Varun Chakravarthy depends on how they perform in the IPL because that will also take place in the UAE,” said MSK Prasad.

In the pace bowling department, Prasad felt that T Natarajan might not make the cut, as India has a lot of pace bowling options. According to Prasad, the four pacers who will play are Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, and Mohammed Siraj, with Hardik Pandya as the backup option.

“Regarding Nattu, you already have enough pace bowlers, so I doubt whether he would have found a place. Bumrah, Bhuvi, Shami, and Mohammed Siraj are doing so well, Hardik Pandya is the backup bowler, so where is the space?, concluded MSK Prasad.

MSK Prasad’s Indian squad for 2021 T20 World Cup: Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Prithvi Shaw, Virat Kohli(C), Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Ishan Kishan/Sanju Samson, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Krunal Pandya, Varun Chakravarthy/Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar