Don't Think Harshal Patel Will Work In Australia - Aakash Chopra Against Including The 30-Year-Old For T20 World Cup

Cricket analyst Aakash Chopra surprisingly opined that the Indian pacer, Harshal Patel, is unlikely to have an impact in Australia where the 2022 T20 World Cup will take place this year.

Harshal has been brilliant of late and has slowly become India’s go-to death bowler. Alongside Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal is expected to feature in the playing XI. However, the ball is unlikely to grip in Australia and Harshal’s slower balls may not work there, as per Chopra.

“I am not taking Harshal’s name because I don’t think he will work there. You might think this guy is totally against Harshal Patel. I am not against but those pitches are different, the ball is not going to grip. I am not seeing him bowl with Bumrah at the death.”

“Bumrah is confirmed amongst the fast bowlers. Bhuvneshwar Kumar/Deepak Chahar – Deepak Chahar is slightly ahead in my list because he bats as well. Bhuvneshwar Kumar is bowling better at the moment but eight months’ time is still left. So one out of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Deepak Chahar,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

Aakash Chopra on the other bowling options in the team

The pacers in the team are expected to have quite a say in Australia. In stark contrast to the previous World Cup in the UAE where the spinners ruled the show, the bouncy and pacy pitches in Australia should help the fast bowlers. Based on this factor, Chopra chooses the other options that India could include in their squad.

“Mohammed Shami/T Natarajan/Khaleel – you want to take a left-armer along. That’s another thing, if you want to carry, left-armer is that X-factor. You will definitely look towards Mohammed Shami. He has not been kept in the team currently but he should be there.”

“Shardul Thakur – a very outside chance because Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar – similar kinds of players. Shardul is a middle-overs bowler, neither does he bowl at the death nor in the first six. Deepak Chahar gives you wickets at the start, Bhuvneshwar Kumar probably bowls better than both of them at the death,” Chopra further added.

The final choice is selecting the spinner and it is very likely going to Yuzvendra Chahal. He should never have been excluded from the Indian team, as per Chopra.

“One spinner – Yuzi Chahal. You might say he should have been there in the last World Cup as well. I am saying that he should have been there but the ones doing the selection didn’t pick him. Yuzi Chahal and Ravindra Jadeja are your only two spinners – that’s it,” he concluded.

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