Despite failing to qualify for the semi-final in last year’s event, India are clearly one of the top contenders for the T20 World Cup 2022, slated for Australia in October-November. The new leadership of Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid has instilled a strong belief among fans – backed by the fact that India haven’t lost a single T20I series since the end of last year’s event.
They have emphatically swept aside New Zealand (finalists of last year), West Indies (both home and away), Sri Lanka, Ireland and away England (another strong challenger for the trophy), while sharing a 2-2 series with South Africa with largely their second-string side.
Under Sharma and Dravid, the mantra in the batting department has been revamped: going from a conservative one to a gung-ho approach. The bowling department, too, has been dominant on frequent occasions, playing a major role in these wins.
Who will be India’s pacers at the T20 World Cup 2022
Bhuvneshwar Kumar has made a strong case – or has very much sealed – a spot in the T20 World Cup 2022 India squad with delivering consistent performances, nipping out batters with the new ball and showing great accuracy in the death. Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar are once again set to lead India’s pace attack.
This time, though, they won’t have Mohammed Shami in the ranks; the Gujarat Titans pacer, who hasn’t played a T20I since T20 WC last year, has been ignored for the Asia Cup squad, and that largely means that the selectors have moved past him in the shortest format.
The Asia Cup squad announcement gave another big hint that Harshal Patel is also a certain member of the 15-man squad: that his ruling out from Asia Cup due to an injury was mentioned alongside Bumrah. Harshal has been excellent in the middle and death overs in the last two IPL seasons and has also done well in his short India career so far.
Arshdeep Singh and Avesh Khan are the other pacers with Bhuvneshwar in the Asia Cup in the injury-forced absence of Bumrah and Harshal.
And although the pecking order now between these two is not sure, Arshdeep may be ahead of Avesh considering his potency both in the powerplay with the new ball – where he can swing into the right-handers – and in the death – where his ability to nail yorkers and use variations is now famous; the phase of the game where he has conceded at a terrific economy of 7.2 in 2022.
On the other hand, Avesh has been really poor in the death, though he has done well in the powerplay and middle-overs as an enforcer to hit the lengths. Deepak Chahar, who is mentioned as Standbys for Asia Cup, will only get a look-in, one would assume, as a back-up to Bhuvneshwar. That further strengthens Arshdeep’s case as a death-bowling partner to Bumrah. Arshdeep’s left-handedness is a key characteristic in his selection.
Also, for the Asia Cup, India have selected two spinners – R Ashwin and Ravi Bishnoi – to support Jadeja and Chahal. The Asia Cup is in the UAE, but the T20 World Cup 2022 will be held in Australia. So, the selectors and management may even think of getting an extra pacer for one of these two spinners, although Hardik Pandya has emerged as a proper pace bowler in recent months.
Conclusion:
Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Harshal Patel (if he is fit) are the first-choice pacers in India’s T20 World Cup 2022 squad.
Arshdeep Singh seems a more likely inclusion over Avesh and Deepak Chahar, one of whom may get in the squad based on their performances on the Zimbabwe tour, Asia Cup and if selected in the home matches vs South Africa and Australia ahead of the T20 World Cup 2022, and also on the fact that India may opt for an extra seamer.
