5 takeaways from India's World T20 squad announcement

The much-awaited announcement of India’s squad for the Asia Cup and the subsequent ICC World Twenty20 has been made. While the selectors have primarily stuck with the same unit that beat Australia 3-0 on their own soil, there has been a bit of chopping and changing.This includes the surprise inclusion of a couple of unlikely players and a few exclusions that may be a little tough to justify. Apart from this, a number of other points also surfaced out of India’s squad selection for the two back-to-back high-profile T20I tournaments.Here are 5 important takeaways from the squad announcement.

#1 Ajinkya Rahane trumping Manish Pandey

Rahane was preferred over Manish Pandey.

It was always going to be a toss-up between Ajinkya Rahane and Manish Pandey in the squad for the Asia Cup and the World Twenty20 and that is exactly how it panned out. Rahane turned out to be the preferred candidate, a decision which was quite justifiable at the end of it all.

The Mumbai batsman has become one of the core members of the Indian team over the past few years, particularly in the longest format. Rahane has played the floater role to perfection in India’s ODI batting line-up and it was about time he got his due in T20 cricket.

Manish Pandey deserves every bit to be in the squad too, but certainly not at the cost of Ajinkya Rahane.

#2 Pawan Negi beats Axar Patel

The spot of the bowling all-rounder saw Axar losing his place to Negi.

One of the biggest surprises sprung by the selectors was the sudden inclusion of Chennai Super Kings allrounder Pawan Negi into the Indian squad. A couple of months ago, there was a quandary over picking one among either Ravindra Jadeja or Axar Patel for the Australia series and Jadeja made his way into team as a ‘like for like’ change.

However, out of the blue, the Indian team for the Asia Cup and World Twenty20 now has room for two left-arm spinners with Pawan Negi and not Axar being included. The Gujarat allrounder should surely have been first choice in terms of another spinner in the team taking into account his recent domestic form.

Unfortunately for Axar Patel, though, the selectors seemed to have zeroed in on Negi.

#3 The pace attack does not inspire confidence

Nehra and Bumrah would have to do the bulk of the bowling.

Only three fast bowlers have been chosen in the Indian squad for the Asia Cup and ICC World Twenty20 – Ashish Nehra, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Shami. While Bumrah was the find of the Australian tour, as stated by skipper MS Dhoni, veteran pacer Ashish Nehra improved with every match.

However, the decision to draft Mohammad Shami into the side, when he has not yet proved his match fitness, comes across as a risky one. Even though both tournaments are due to be played on sub-continent pitches, the pacers have always had a big role to play in this neck of the woods as well.

Considering this, the fast bowling department looks a bit lacking with only 2 and a half bowlers available at Dhoni’s disposal.

#4 Sticking with the experienced lot

India have relied on the experienced quartet of Dhoni, Yuvraj, Harbhajan and Nehra

In recent years, the Indian team management has primarily backed youngsters to be part of the team, especially in the shorter formats of the game. However, the team that has been selected for the Asia Cup and World Twenty20 displays a completely different picture altogether.

There are 30-something players galore in the latest Indian T20 squad including skipper MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh and Ashish Nehra. All these players first represented India more than a decade ago and have stuck around to become part of the same unit again.

This new-found reliance on experience might only have bettered India’s chances to lay hands on the ICC World Twenty20 title for a record 2nd time.

#5 Spin bowling- the main weapon

The Ashwin-Jadeja combine has done wonders for India.

It is going to be all about spin as far as the Indian bowling attack for the Asia Cup and the World Twenty20 is concerned. The squad consists of as many as four spinners – Ravichandran Ashwin, Harbhajan Singh, Ravindra Jadeja and newcomer Pawan Negi.

In addition to this, India also have Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina to make up a fifth spinner in the line-up. It is likely that India will be employing the services of 3 spinners in most matches that they play in the Asia Cup as well as the World Twenty20.

So the strategy is clear that Indian team management will be relying on the spinners to produce the goods in the next two months or so.