IND vs WI | Only one pacer spot open for WT20, reveals Virat Kohli
BCCI
Virat Kohli, on Thursday, revealed that there is only one spot left to be filled in the team's pace bowling unit for the next year's T20 World Cup in Australia. The Indian skipper, ahead of the series against West Indies, has clearly indicated that three pacers’ spots have already been sealed.
Kohli, in the pre-match press conference on Thursday, revealed that the team management is almost set on which pacers will fly to Australia next year during the WT20 tournament. In all probabilities, ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah, and seasoned bowlers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami are almost certain to make the cut. However, there’s one spot in the pace bowling attack that’s yet to be filled. Kohli is expecting a ”healthy competition” in this regard and is eager to see the developments.
"The fight obviously is for one spot and I think more or less three guys have made a place for themselves. It's going to be a healthy competition and it will be interesting to see how it pans out," Kohli was quoted as saying by the New Indian Express.
India, who are currently ranked 5th in the shortest format, sport the best pace bowling unit in the world and their bench strength is exceptional. This advantage, though, can sometimes be a burden during selection but Kohli feels differently.
"It's not that big an issue for us. I think Bhuvi (Bhuvneshwar) and (Jasprit) Bumrah are experienced bowlers. They have been very consistent in T20 cricket. Deepak (Chahar) has come in and has bowled really well," Kohli opined.
"(Mohammed) Shami is coming back and he is bowling really well. If he gets into a rhythm and specifically works on what's required in T20 cricket then he will be very, very useful in places like Australia, especially with his ability to pick wickets with the new ball. He has enough pace to execute yorkers," he added.
India weren’t exceptional in the Bangladesh series, but Deepak Chahar’s performance that also included a hattrick in the final T20I has made him a contender as well.Â
"Also couple of more guys are under the scanner for sealing that spot along with three seamers. It's a good position to be in because everyone is bowling really well," Kohli revealed.
The first T20I of the three-match series between India and West Indies will be played on Friday, December 6, at the Rajiv Gandhi International stadium in Hyderabad.
