‘If he had been there..’ – Sanjay Manjrekar says this player’s availability could have changed Indian bowling attack’s outlook for T20 World Cup 2024

As India prepare for another ICC event, the analysis around their squad is in full flow ahead of their first game against Ireland. The team assembled possesses quality options in every department and will be a threat to every other side in the competition.

Former India player and seasoned broadcaster Sanjay Manjrekar analysed the bowling options in the Indian team on Star Sports. He feels Hardik Pandya, the pace-bowling all-rounder, should not be India’s fifth bowling option, demoting him as the sixth bowler.

“Hardik Pandya can’t be your fifth bowler. I think India must have the sixth bowler as Hardik Pandya because of the amount of bowling he has done and his fitness. So, I’d rather go a little heavy on spin because when you look at the seam quality of India, there’s not much depth.”

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He made a valid point regarding the lack of options in the pace bowling department. While Jasprit Bumrah is a solid and bankable option, Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh have blown hot and cold and are prone to erring lengths under pressure.

Sanjay Manjrekar says Mohammed Shami could have changed the Indian bowling attack’s outlook

Adding to his point, Sanjay Manjrekar rued the absence of the ace pacer Mohammed Shami, who has not played competitive cricket since the World Cup last year, claiming his presence would have changed the outlook of India’s pace attack. He also threw his weight behind selecting an additional spinner since all the options possess quality.

“If Mohammed Shami had been there, then it would have completely changed the look of India’s bowling attack. You have some good spinning options, so I’d rather go with an extra spinner.”

Indeed, Shami has improved massively as a white-ball bowler over the last year or so. He was a lethal option in every phase, for Shami did exceedingly well in the IPL 2023 and World Cup 2023.

Apart from the conditions in the West Indies, Shami’s absence might also have tempted India to pick four tweakers. In Shami, India would have had an all-phase bowler with a top-class new-ball wicket-taker, which would have eased the load off Jasprit Bumrah’s shoulders.

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