Harshal Patel, Venkatesh Iyer And Shivam Mavi To Join Indian Team As Support Players For T20 World Cup 2021 - Reports

If reports are true, the Indian team management may ask Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) pacer Harshal Patel, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) opener Venkatesh Iyer, and fast bowler Shivam Mavi as support players for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2021 which begins on October 17 in UAE and Oman.

Earlier Jammu pacer Umran Malik was already named as a net bowler for the Indian team after impressing in his maiden Indian Premier League outing for the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), where he clocked over 150 kph with ease and consistency. Much like Malik, all three in Patel, Iyer, and Mavi have performed well for their teams, who both qualified for the playoffs.

Atleast two of the Harshal Patel, Shivam Mavi, and Venkatesh Iyer can be expected to be asked to stay back in Dubai, where the Indian players are quarantining currently ahead of the tournament.

“The instructions will be relayed after Monday’s Eliminator so that the player(s) will not exit the bubble and instead transfer from one bubble to another,” the report adds.

“Teams can change their teams seven days prior to the start of their support period. India’s support period starts with the Super 12 which begin on Oct 23. So, they have time to change the team till Oct 15 midnight,” a Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) source was quoted as saying by TOI.

Doubts Continue To Pester Over Hardik Pandya’s Inclusion In The T20 World Cup 2021

On the other hand, all-rounder Hardik Pandya’s participation in the T20 World Cup 2021 for the Indian team continues to remain in doubt. The Baroda cricketer has not bowled much since the England T20I series and didn’t bowl a single ball for Mumbai Indians in the entire IPL 2021 whether it was played in India or later in UAE.

“It’s not decided if Hardik will be dropped altogether if he doesn’t get bowling ready. But he is running out of time as an allrounder. If any one of Thakur and Deepak gets in, then there’s a chance of the selectors asking Harshal Patel to stay back in UAE,” the BCCI source added.

“The selectors will wait and watch on how Hardik shapes up in the next few days. The selectors went with just three genuine pacers because it was believed Hardik would be fit enough to bowl his quota of overs. Since he hasn’t bowled at all in the IPL, there’s no form to go by,” he added.

India, who are placed in Group B, will begin their campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan on October 24.

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