ICC World Cup 2019: Sourav Ganguly picks India's squad for the tournament

Amidst the glory of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the upcoming week is going to be all about the World Cup. Almost all the teams will be naming their 15-man squad for the tournament and no doubt that the cricketing world will have its eyes on them. India’s 15-man squad led by Virat Kohli is all set to be announced on April 15 even as they have to make a few tough decisions for a couple of places.

Many are predicting a lot of number four options which has been a long-standing problem for the team. Apart from that, there is also another doubt in the selectors’ mind whether to go with an extra seamer or the spinner with the tournament to be played in England and Wales. The former India skipper Sourav Ganguly has weighed in his opinion on the squad and rather has stunned everyone with his pick.

Ganguly wants four pacers

Sourav Ganguly is adamant of the fact that India will need four pacers to battle it out in English conditions. At the moment, the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Bhunveshwar Kumar select themselves in the team. The question is of the fourth seamer if Ganguly’s advice is considered and he has surprisingly chosen Navdeep Saini over everyone.

Saini is currently playing for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the IPL and has clocked over 150 kph consistently. Moreover, he has also been impressive in the domestic circuit and Sourav Ganguly feels he could be an X-factor in the team. “There are a few surprises in my team which is only based on sheer talent. In England, the need for pacers is highly important.

“According to me, this is the best possible team, there’s no guarantee whether we can win the World Cup or not, but in England, you need four pacers. With Hardik’s back giving trouble, we need pacers present and I feel that along with Bhuvneshwar, Jasprit and Shami, we need a pacer like Navdeep Saini. You need an X factor in your team which can be Navdeep,” he said while speaking to India TV.

Ganguly also picked Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul in his squad as the back-up wicket-keeper and opener respectively and it remains to be seen if the selectors agree with him.

Here’s Sourav Ganguly’s World Cup squad: Virat Kohli (C), Rohit Sharma (VC), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Vijay Shankar, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Navdeep Saini.

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