T20 World Cup 2022: How Can You Decide He Will Go For Runs - Sunil Gavaskar Said About Harshal Patel

The T20 World Cup to be held in Australia will start on October 16 and the final will be on November 13 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Team India star fast bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel are back in the team. Both these star bowlers have been out of cricket for a long time due to injury. Harshal is being criticized for taking him into the team. But former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar backed his selection.

Sunil Gavaskar was questioned “Harshal can get smashed for runs in Australia. He doesn’t have much pace and given the kind of pitches that there are Down Under, batters can attack him.”

How Can You Decide That He Will Go For Runs – Sunil Gavaskar

“Aagey jaa kar dekhenge na unki pitai kaise ho sakti hai. Aap ne pehle se hi tay kar diya, pitai hogi kyuki who slow bowling karte hain. Yaar pehle match toh hone do. Uske baad aap bol sakte hain ‘Aisa ho gaya, waisa ho gaya’. We will see that once the tournament starts.

“How can you decide that he will go for runs already? You came to a conclusion because he bowls slow. At least let the match happen first. Then sure, you can say that ‘This happened, that happened’,” replied Gavaskar during the show on Sports Tak.

Apart from Harshal, another pacer, Jasprit Bumrah has returned to the squad. Both of them are expected to be guaranteed starters in India’s Playing XI when the team kicks off its T20 World Cup campaign against Pakistan on October 23 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

With Hardik Pandya expected to come in as the third pacer, Gavaskar believes India can even go with a fourth seam option, when there is overcast or dew.

“India can even go in with Bhuvneshwar Kumar (as the fourth pacer) but it will depend on what the conditions are and who the opposition is. If there is grass, then include three pacers and one spinner. If it is overcast or dew, you can pick one more seamer. It’s good that there are so many options in this well-rounded Indian squad,” Gavaskar added.

India will play three-match T20Is against Australia at home, which begins on September 20. It will be followed by six limited-overs internationals against South Africa before they fly to Australia.

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