T20 World Cup 2022 | Would have preferred Mohammed Shami over Harshal Patel, opines Krishnamachari Srikkanth

India are all set to start their campaign in the T20 World Cup next month to be played in Australia. BCCI have announced the team for the showpiece event recently and Rohit Sharma will lead the side while KL Rahul will be his deputy. Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel have returned after both of them missed recent matches due to injuries. However, Mohammed Shami has been named in standbys and his exclusion from the 15-member squad has been surprising for many. 

Many former cricketers have been of the opinion that Shami should play the T20 World Cup in Australia. Krishnamachari Srikkanth believes the same considering the pacer can extract bounce on Australian surfaces and can provide early breakthroughs.

"If I was the chairman of the selection committee, (Mohammad) Shami is definitely in the team. We are playing in Australia, the guy's got the real action, the guy's got bounce, he can bare the moment and he can get on early wickets, so I would have probably got Shami instead of Harshal Patel," said Srikkanth on Star Sports.

"Yes, Harshal Patel is a good bowler, no doubt about it, but Mohammad Shami is the right guy, I mean they can say not the scheme of things, he's only for test cricket or one day cricket but we are playing in Australia. That guy has done well last IPL, so Shami is the must in my team."

Shami bowled superbly for Gujarat Titans in IPL 2022 taking 20 wickets from 16 matches and playing a crucial role in their title run. He bowled with an economy of 8 and with a strike rate of 18.30. His omission from the team has triggered a discussion over this move in spite of his IPL records. Apart from Bumrah and Harshal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Arshdeep Singh will form the pace battery and India will rely on them to deliver in the World Cup.