IND vs SA: Mohammed Siraj Or Deepak Chahar? Irfan Pathan Predicts India's 3rd Pacer For South Africa T20Is

Irfan Pathan believes that India should choose between Mohammed Siraj and Deepak Chahar as the third seamer in the T20I series in South Africa. Pathan stated that Arshdeep Singh and Mukesh Kumar would be the first-choice pacers for the upcoming series.

Following their 4-1 series victory against Australia, India is set to tour South Africa. The tour will commence with three T20Is, starting in Durban on Sunday, December 10. The selectors have named a 17-member squad, featuring four seamers and an equal number of spinners.

Deepak Chahar Had A Lot Of Injury Issues – Irfan Pathan

During a discussion on the Star Sports show ‘Game Plan’, Irfan Pathan expressed his preference for Mohammed Siraj, emphasizing the bowler’s current form and success in ODI cricket.

“You need to have three fast bowlers. There will be Arshdeep (Singh) for sure, Mukesh Kumar for sure, and obviously, they will have to choose between Mohammed Siraj and Deepak Chahar,” Pathan told Star Sports.

“Mohammed Siraj is going all guns blazing. He is especially doing well in ODI cricket. Why not try him and give him a long run? You might find a guy who can nail the yorkers as well eventually and bowl a couple of good overs with the new ball.”

“Yes, Deepak Chahar is coming back. He had a lot of injury issues as well. Going forward, you need to see guys who are fitter and stay in the team for a long time. I see these three guys going forward as well,” he added.

Don’t Forget Washington Sundar – Irfan Pathan

The former Indian all-rounder believes that Ravindra Jadeja is a sure starter in the playing XI. Pathan picked Washington Sundar as the second spinner, highlighting his ability to bowl with the new ball and against left-handed batters.

“Then obviously Ravindra Jadeja comes in. However, don’t forget Washington Sundar. He is the kind of cricketer who can actually be very useful because he can bowl with the new ball. If you have a left-handed option against you, he can be very handy,” Pathan further stated.

India’s T20I Squad: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Rinku Singh, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan (wk), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Ravindra Jadeja (VC), Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Deepak Chahar.

Also read: “I Am Not A Big Fan Of…” – Irfan Pathan Dismisses Concept Of Split Captaincy In Team India