After suffering a premature exit from the Asia Cup 2022, the Rohit Sharma-led Team India will shift their focus to the upcoming edition of the ICC World T20. On Monday, the Board of Control for Cricket In India (BCCI) announced a star-studded squad of the Rohit-led side for the T20 World Cup 2022. Former Indian skipper Mohammad Azharuddin revealed that he was surprised at the non-selection of two star performers for the 2022 edition of the ICC World Cup in Australia in October-November this year.
Coming as a huge blow to Team India, veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was ruled out of the T20 World Cup due to a knee injury. Senior pacer Jasprit Bumrah and death-bowling specialist Harshal Patel returned to the national squad for the showpiece event after missing the Asia Cup. Veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin pipped youngster Ravi Bishnoi while pacer Avesh Khan failed to retain his place for the T20 World Cup.
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Reacting to India’s squad announcement for the T20 World Cup, former Indian skipper Azharuddin said that he was ‘surprised’ to see the names of Mohammed Shami and Shreyas Iyer missing from the 15-man list shared by the apex cricket board on Monday. “Surprised at the omission of Shreyas Iyer and Md. Shami from the main squad,” Azhar tweeted.
The only Indian skipper to lead the Asian giants in three 50-over World Cups, Azhar also opined that Iyer should have been picked at the expense of all-rounder Deepak Hooda. “Shreyas Iyer instead of Deepak Hooda and Md. Shami in the place of Harshal Patel would be my choice,” the former Indian captain added.
Azharuddin’s tweet, however, did not go down well with the fans, who decided to troll the former stylish right-hander. Netizens pointed out Shreyas Iyer’s weakness against the short-pitched deliveries and said he can be exposed on the bouncy tracks in Australia.
Azharuddin subjected to endless trolls for tweet on India’s T20 World Cup squad
Pacer Shami and premier batter Iyer have been named on the list of standby players for the marquee event which is scheduled to be held from October 16 to November 13 in Australia. The Indian selectors have also named India’s squads for the upcoming home T20I series against Australia and South Africa.
India’s squad for Australia series: Rohit Sharma (captain), K.L. Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant, Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya, R. Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah.
India squad for South Africa T20Is: Rohit Sharma (captain), K.L. Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant, Dinesh Karthik, R. Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Shami, Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah.
