The BCCI released India’s roster for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Afghanistan on Sunday, January 7. – Shivam Dube
The assignment will begin on Thursday, January 11 in Mohali.
The return of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who had not been part of the T20I setup since the
conclusion of the 2022 T20 World Cup, was the main talking point.
The seasoned combination was chosen for the squad despite strong opposition from all parties concerned.
The following players have been named to Team India’s roster for the Afghanistan T20Is: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill,
Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jitesh Sharma, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar,
Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, and Mukesh Kumar.
While the Men in Blue will have a similar team to choose from after their rubbers in South Africa and Australia,
there were a few players in the contingent who had strong arguments against their inclusion.
Here are three Indian players who were fortunate to be selected for India’s T20I series against Afghanistan.
No 3 – Shivam Dube
Shivam Dube was called up to the national team after a successful Indian Premier League (IPL) season with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
However, after his return, the southpaw has only played a few bouts. Instead of being used as a spinner, he has batted lower in the order.
Dube then missed India’s last T20I against South Africa, allegedly because his style of play does not work well on bouncy pitches.
Shivam Dube is now returning home to face Afghanistan, a team noted for its ability to spin the ball.
But where is the coherence? Dube was not given a proper run of games in his optimal position before to being dropped.
And now that Kohli and Rohit are back, India may have alternative intentions for their top four, and the 30-year-old may struggle to make an impression once more.
Whether Dube merits his spot in the team or not is debatable, but given the way the selectors have
been operating recently, he was undoubtedly fortunate to be selected for the Afghanistan T20Is.
No 2 – Mukesh Kumar
What the selectors see in Mukesh Kumar in white-ball cricket is a subject that has been raised several times in the last year or two.
Mukesh has 10 wickets at an economy rate of 9.28 in 11 T20Is.
While he has had several spectacular death-bowling performances, he hasn’t done enough to merit being selected for all assignments across formats and opponents.
Aside from his records, Mukesh may not have enough assets in his arsenal to be a regular limited-overs bowler.
India hasn’t played him in the powerplay, where he’s supposed to be excellent, and his dependence on the Yorker is a risky plan.
India has only three fast bowlers in its roster, and Mukesh is a guy who continues to cut multiple variables working against him.
No 1 – Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma will not only be a member of the Indian squad for the T20Is against Afghanistan, but he will also skipper the team.
The opening batsman has recently been terrific for India in the other two forms, but his T20I
performances have been dismal for a long time.
Rohit’s problems have been exacerbated by the fact that he has been a consistent failure in the
IPL for Mumbai Indians (MI), whom he no longer captains.
With players like Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal being given opportunities to shine in the format,
the seasoned batter’s exclusion would not have raised many eyebrows.
The selectors haven’t been clear about Rohit’s future since the completion of the 2022 T20 World Cup, so his selection isn’t exactly surprising.
But he should count himself fortunate to have been given another chance in the shortest format.
Also Read: Los Angeles Lakers vs Los Angeles Clippers: Start time, how to watch a free NBA game