India has wrapped up the ongoing West Indies T20I series and now have the Asia Cup and two home series left before they decide on their final 15 for the World Cup.
But experts of the game indulged into heated debates over how the team should look including Ravi Shastri.
Ravi Shastri on Saturday gave his opinion on how the Indian pace attack should look like while giving a strong verdict on the chances of a 23-year-old bowler.
India has had 11 fast bowlers try out for the World Cup team. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Harshal Patel have played the most and taken the most wickets for the team.
But young Arshdeep Singh, who joined the Indian team after the 2022 IPL, has already impressed veterans and experts with his great bowling in the death overs and his ability to throw yorkers whenever he wants.
Even though he did well on the tour of England and the West Indies, there is still debate about whether he should play in the World Cup. But Shastri told Fan Code before the fourth T20 match between India and West Indies that he would have put Arshdeep on the team because of how versatile he is. Arshdeep would have joined Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Mohammed Shami in the pace attack.
“I think very close to because India need variety. And in Australia, left-armers normally do a good job. There is bounce and the angle that he creates. He will be an ideal foil when you look at the Indian attack. It should have Bhuvi, Jasprit, Shami and then if you put him in the mix and all you might know that he might play in one of the games given the opportunity,” he said.
“Me toh lunga usko. Me variety ke liye lunga aur jisko baithna hoga bahar woh baith sakte he. If there are four pacers picked there I would pick three right-armers and one left-armer and one all-rounder which is Hardik Pandya. Jasprit and Bhuvi are certainties and I feel Shami will get the nod.”
Arshdeep picked three wickets for 12 runs in 3.1 overs in India's 59-run series-clinching win in Florida.