'Difficult for him to get into the XI with Bumrah, Shami': Gough identifies 'massive player' for India at T20 World Cup

Former England pacer Darren Gough has identified one India bowler, whom he fancies to play a huge role at the T20 World Cup in Australia three months from now.

The T20 World Cup in three months away and with a handful of matches remaining between now and then, the BCCI's selection committee will sit together to determine the squad who will be gunning for glory in Australia. While all the focus remains on the several permutations and combinations that will decide the batting unit, especially with so many options available for one spot, the bowling department promises to experience no less a stiff competition. Spinners, pacers and all-rounders are expected to make it a long selection meet when the time comes to decide India's best 15-18 member squads.

Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami.  (Getty)

Former England pacer Darren Gough, however, has identified one bowler, whom he fancies to play a huge role for India in Australia. With Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami appearing as certainties, the fight for the third pacer would be between Shardul Thakur, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj and youngsters Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh and Umran Malik. Out of these, Gough wants the experienced Bhuvneshwar to be an integral part of the team but he also knows that getting into the Playing XI won't be easy for the 32-year-old India quick.

"Getting into this Indian line-up will be difficult for him when you've got Shami – the amount of wickets he has got, you've got Bumrah and these youngsters who are coming through and have got terrific pace and are desperate for an opportunity, Siraj as well. I think he is mainly going to be used now as a one-day specialist but there is no doubt that in Australia, with the new ball, there will be skill required and there will be swing and I think, there he will be a massive player for India," Gough said about Bhuvneshwar on Cricket.com.

The sight of Bhuvneshwar Kumar rolling his arms over in Australia and having the wood over Aaron Finch in the 2019 tour has remained etched in the minds of all Indian cricket fans. But a lot has changed in these 3 years. Bhuvneshwar has had to battle form and fitness for the longest time and after spending a considerable amount of time rehabilitating, the right-arm pacer looks back at his best. He has managed to swing the ball viciously, twice getting a wicket in the first over in the England T20Is. Gough reckons that Bhuvneshwar has the skills to be a top-notch draw and possesses an art many fast bowlers have struggled to master.

"There is no doubt that his skill levels are right up there. The control of the new ball is not easy and when you bowl with the new ball, it doesn’t do what you want it to do most of the time. I have seen so many bowlers make that mistake. To be able to swing the ball from the off both ways takes terrific skills. And there is no doubt Bhuvneshwar has it. He is the perfect bowler for English-type conditions. To come and play County cricket, he would be special," Gough added.