India Squad For T20 World Cup 2021: 3 Swaps Which Are Still Possible

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has revealed the 15-member squad for the marquee T20 World Cup 2021 tournament on September 8. The squad contains most of the big names, However, there have been few surprises as well. Ravichandran Ashwin, Varun Chakravarthy, and Axar Patel have made it to the squad. Meanwhile, Yuzvendra Chahal has been dropped and Rahul Chahar has been picked.

Meanwhile, on the batting side of things, Shikhar Dhawan who has been in great form in the Indian Premier League has been unable to get his name in the T20 World Cup team. Also, Shreyas Iyer who was expected to be part of the main squad was kept as a reserve player. One of the major highlights of the squad announcement was the selection of MS Dhoni as a mentor in the T20 World Cup 2021 which is great news for fans.

In total India has picked 4 batters including Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and Suryakumar Yadav, 2 wicket-keepers Rishabh Pant, and Ishan Kishan 1 fast-bowling all-rounder Hardik Pandya. 5 spinners Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy, and Rahul Chahar. 3 fast bowlers in the form of Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

Notably, still, there is a possibility of India making final changes in the T20 World Cup squad before entering the marquee event. As teams are allowed to make changes till October 10th and with the Indian Premier League taking place between September & October, there is the possibility that some players might make a comeback in the team if they have a good outcome in IPL.

 3 Swaps Which Are Still Possible In India’s Squad For T20 World Cup 2021

#3. Shikhar Dhawan-Ishan Kishan

Ishan Kishan comes in as a surprise pick in the T20 World Cup 2021 squad. Many thought that with two wicket keepers ( Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul) already in the team India might not go for another one.

However, when the squad came out it was revealed that Rishabh Pant and Ishan Kishan will be the two main wicket-keepers of team India. Notably, Kishan has been included in the team as a backup opener.

Ishan Kishan had a terrible run in the first phase of IPL 2021 as he managed to score only 73 runs at an average of 14.60. Meanwhile, things were opposite in the case of Shikhar Dhawan as he once again fired with the bat and when the tournament was suspended he was the leading run-scorer with 380 runs at an average of 54.28.

If both the players continue their same run from the first phase of IPL to the second phase of IPL 2021 then Shikhar Dhawan getting selected in place of Ishan Kishan is a high possibility.

#2. Deepak Chahar-Axar Patel

When the squads came out one of the major missing from the main squad was Chennai Super Kings pacer Deepak Chahar. Notably, Deepak Chahar has been one of the most consistent bowlers in the T20 format since the last few years and with the new ball in his hand, he did wonders for the Ms. Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings.

Deepak Chahar has been kept as a standby player in the team and the Delhi Capitals spinner Axar Patel has been drafted in the main squad. If Deepak Chahar once again has a great run in the Indian Premier League, India might think of adding him to the 15-member team in place of Axar Patel.

Also, India already has in total 5 spinners and 3 Pacers in the main line-up so with the addition of Deepak Chahar it will make a perfect balance between Fast bowlers and spinners, and with already lot of spin options in the 15-member team Axar Patel being a standby won’t cause any difficulties for India.

#1. T Natarajan-Mohammed Shami

The inclusion of Mohammed Shami in the squad was a surprising one as many thought he is behind Deepak Chahar and Shardul Thakur in the race for T20 World Cup 2021. However, Shami brings a lot of experience with him which might be beneficial for the Indian team. However, he still might get replaced from the 15-member squad if he has a poor outing in the IPL 2021 UAE leg.

T Natarajan is the top contender to replace Shami as India doesn’t have any left-arm pacer in the team. Previously, Natarajan was one of the most talked-about players, and many thought he will be one of the players who will get the spot in India’s T20 World Cup team.

However constant run-ins with injury kept him away from being selected in the team. Natarajan has done a good job for India whenever he got the chance. The changes in the Indian squad might be made based on the performance of players in the IPL. 2021.

So if T Natarajan manages to have an exceptional outcome and if Mohammed Shami has a poor run in IPL 2021 UAE leg then Natarajan might get a nod and he might secure a place in India’s 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup 2021.

Also Read: India Squad For T20 World Cup 2021: 3 Pairs Whose Success Can Be A Title-Winning Guarantee