Mumbai: Irfan Pathan, Commentator & Cricket Expert with IPL official TV Broadcaster, opined on Star Sports Press Room Show, Ticket to World Cup about who the spinners should be (Bishnoi and Kuldeep). “You need five good bowlers. That’s a must. What are your wicket-taking options? Like, when you’re talking about Ravindra Jadeja, as a playing at, batting at number 8 and playing as a spin, I would rather have two wrist spinners playing. I would rather have two proper wrist spinners playing, Bishnoi and Kuldeep, in my playing 11. If you look at Bishnoi’s numbers, you know, when he played as well, he was pretty good. Yes, we’re talking about Chahal right now, because of the IPL performances and everything, but don’t forget the fielding part of it as well. If you have to balance the fielding, you have to balance the, you know, where a bowler can bowl at the particular area. So, you have to think on that as well. So, in my team, if 8, 9, 10, 11, two spinners, two fast bowlers are playing, and if Dube and Hardik can give me four overs, including Yashasvi Jaiswal, as a, you know, one more bowler there, so I’ll have two proper wrist spinners. But when you’re talking about what Indian team might do, Indian team might actually play Ravindra Jadeja at number 7. And I agree with Tom in that front that it’s a bit too high for him. So, this is where the selection is a bit tough, but you need to make tough calls this time around.”
Irfan Pathan, Commentator & Cricket Expert with IPL official TV Broadcaster, opined on Star Sports Press Room Show, Ticket to World Cup about who the three pacers will be in the world cup (Bumrah, Arshdeep, Siraj) and Mayank not having any experience, “I think there’s only one player who you can blindly say is Bumrah. But apart from Bumrah, if you look at it, you need at least two fast bowlers who can be part of the regular eleven. I don’t understand that right now, in terms of performance-wise, that you can blindly say he’s the guy. You’ll have to bank on a little experience. And in that hope, when they played India last time, who did they play? Siraj played that series. In that series, he bowled one or two wickets in two matches. And he had a good economy. He bowled 30 or 36 wickets and gave 40 runs. That was a series in South Africa. Arshdeep’s numbers weren’t great in terms of wickets. But now, Arshdeep’s numbers will be better in the IPL. Siraj’s performance hasn’t been that well so far. Now, you’ll still say, you’ll bank a little. So, in my opinion, if I’m sitting in the selection panel, I’ll go towards experience. I’ll say, take Arshdeep with Bumrah. Take Siraj with Bumrah. It’s not an ideal number, but it’s an option. Who else do you have? Khaleel Ahmed is one. You have a player like Mohsin Khan, who brings something different. You should always have an X Factor where you’re a little different in counting. And also, Mayank’s name is very popular. Look, for Mayank, you’ll have to keep one thing in mind. He has pace, but he hasn’t played much cricket. Last year, he was a part of Lucknow Super Giants, but he didn’t play. He was injured. So, do you want to take a guy who has pace, but he’s getting injured again and again? And that’s why I’m not taking Mohsin Khan’s name again and again. Whereas, quality-wise, if you want to take Mohsin Khan, he brings something that will put the pitch on the edge. He has height, he’s good at hitting the deck hard. His pace is around 140. So, if you look here, the biggest problem the Indian team has is the combination of fast bowling. It’s very important to fix that combination. So, go towards experience. So, I think, with Bumrah, you can see Siraj and Arshdeep there. Which I don’t think is ideal, but this is the only option you have now.”
Krishnamachari Srikkanth, Commentator & Cricket Expert with IPL official TV Broadcaster, said on Star Sports Press Room Show, Ticket to World Cup that Avesh Khan should be the third seamer in the playing eleven. “Bumrah is in the squad. Arshdeep as well. But the third pacer can’t be Siraj. He’ll bowl well in one game and then not perform in 10 games. He’s an erratic bowler, you saw it in the World Cup. So that’s why I’m saying we should look at who’s bowling well in the death overs. That is Avesh Khan. He’s been performing well and he’s done well on the international front, he has a little experience as well. He’s mastered the wide Yorkers also. So my third pacer will be Avesh Khan. So why Siraj, yes he can bowl in the beginning but not at the end. So I will not be taking Siraj.”
Irfan Pathan, Commentator & Cricket Expert with IPL official TV Broadcaster, opined on Star Sports Press Room Show, Ticket to World Cup that Yuzvendra Chahal has to make it to the World Cup squad. “I reckon the last time he was playing in the world cup, and I was doing the pre show, before the semi-final. And everyone had a say, and they were talking about a variety of things, and I said just get Yuzi Chahal in the playing eleven and you will go to the final. And I believed that at that particular time. You need that wrist spinner, and you have to find him in the playing eleven. It wasn’t the case and we saw what happened in the semi-final. Thats why you need to have five wicket taking options. India needs to have that. In terms of Yuzi Chahal and Bishnoi or Kuldeep. You need to find a way, if you don’t do that, you’re going to have a similar result as last time”
Tom Moody, Commentator & Cricket Expert with IPL official TV Broadcaster, said on Star Sports Press Room Show, Ticket to World Cup that Mohd. Siraj has to be backed for the world cup. “I made this point about two weeks ago about Mohammad Siraj. He looks mentally and physically fatigued. I think he’s come into this IPL having played a lot of all format cricket for India for a long period of time. So I think that’s part of the reason he’s had his challenges with the ball. Secondly he plays his cricket in the IPL at probably the hardest venue whether you bowl quick or you bowl spin. So that needs to be taken into consideration. The third thing is he’s playing in a poor side. RCB have been a poor side this year and it’s very hard to rise with what’s happening around you. And with all those layers put together, that’s what we are seeing performance wise. I would back him 100% to step up in the world cup, purely because if you look historically what he’s done for India and even what he did in the IPL last year, and you know his abilities in T20 cricket, be has been outstanding. So for me, he’s taking the new ball with Bumrah, because I’m looking to take early wickets in the power play.”
