 "Selectors will face trouble while selecting the Champions Trophy team, the batsmen are great but the fast bowlers are a headache.")
The defeat in Australia is another challenge for the Indian team. India now has to play a bilateral series with England from January 22. This is not a series for which Team India or the selectors will have to face challenges. But the ICC Champions Trophy to be held from February 19 can increase the headache of the selectors. The squad for the Champions Trophy is to be announced by January 12.
When the Indian selectors pick the squad for the Champions Trophy, they may face the biggest challenge on the fast bowlers. The batsmen will not have to. Reason- India has many good options for batsmen and all-rounders. Spin all-rounders include Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Akshar Patel. For fast all-rounders, there are Hardik Pandya, Nitish Reddy and Shivam Dubey.
Although Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are out of form, their selection seems certain. Rohit and Shubman Gill can be seen starting the team. The selection of Virat Kohli at number three and Rishabh Pant at number four can also be considered. The team has the option of KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer for the fifth spot. All-rounders and bowlers will be seen from sixth to 11th position. India have many names for all-rounders. The role of spinner will be played by any three of Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Akshar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav. It is not yet decided who will be in charge of the fast bowling.
If all the fast bowlers stay fit, India will want to play with Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami and Arshdeep Singh. There is no update on Bumrah’s injury yet. As of now, nothing can be said about when he will be fit to play the match. Mohammad Shami is playing domestic cricket. But his not being sent to Australia is evidence that there are still doubts over his fitness.
If the fitness of Bumrah and Shami are questioned, India’s pace attack may be weakened. In the absence of these two, Arshdeep Singh and Mohammad Siraj can lead India’s pace attack. Any one of Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, Mukesh Kumar, Khalil Ahmed will be selected for third bowler. It is a pace attack that shows a lack of experience. Now it will be seen how the Indian selectors get the team out of this problem.