'We had groomed him for the last 3-4 years': MSK Prasad lists 2 players who should have been in India's T20 WC squad
Prasad reckons that given the form Dhawan has been in lately – especially in the IPL – the 35-year-old could have been a valuable addition to the team.
India's 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup starting in October has more or less covered all bases. With a good blend of batsmen, all-rounder, fast bowlers and spinner, India seemed to have picked the best combination of players for the ICC tournament. The highlight of the squad was the return of R Ashwin to India's limited-overs setup after four long years, whereas the inclusion of Varun Chakravarthy and Rahul Chahar ahead of the more experienced Yuzvendra Chahal.
However, Chahal's omission wasn't the only notable surprise. MSK Prasad, the former BCCI chief selector has named two players whom he feels should have been in India's T20 World Cup squad. One name that is on top of Prasad's list is that of Shikhar Dhawan. The left-handed batsman, despite having a fine record in ICC tournaments, was neglected, which came as a bit of a shock to a lot of people – fans and former India cricketers included. Prasad reckons that given the form Dhawan has been in lately – especially in the IPL – the 35-year-old could have been a valuable addition to the team.
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"You can definitely rate them 8-9 out of 10. They’ve tried to cover all bases and they have gone in predominantly with a frame of mind that it will be more of spin-friendly wickets. That’s the reason we have 4-5 spinners in the squad. Selectors will see from every angle… they will definitely not go into one direction," Prasad told Sports Tak.
"Personally, I felt that maybe since this is a major event, someone like Shikhar Dhawan could have really been brought. Considering the fact that he has always done well in ICC tournaments. And he got back-to-back centuries in the IPL so he is in perfect form. I think he could have been more useful for the side."
Barring Chahal, the second name that Prasad mentioned was that of all-rounder Krunal Pandya. The older Pandya brother has been a regular for Mumbai Indians, where he has delivered impactful performances. Pandya has featured in five ODIs and 19 T20Is, but could not find a place in the final 15.
"Similarly, Krunal Pandya too. We had groomed him for the last 3-4 years in the T20 format. He's been doing well for the Mumbai Indians so these are the two names. I felt that these are the two guys who could have fitted in," Prasad added,
