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Cricket Players‘You eliminate one of fast bowlers’: Shami, Pant fail to find places in ex-IND coach's playing XI for Champions Trophy
The former India batting coach has already picked his ideal XI for the ICC event, as he made a couple of major omissions from his ideal combination.
Rohit Sharma and Co. have set their sights on the Champions Trophy now as they are desperate to bring the prestigious trophy back to India after over a decade. The selection committee has already picked the 15-member squad for the mega event, and now it's the coaching staff and captain's job to find the ideal combination for playing XI. The three-match ODI series against England prior to the Champions Trophy will be crucial for the team management to try their combinations as they haven't played much 50-over cricket in the last year.
Meanwhile, former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar has already picked his ideal XI for the ICC event, as he made a couple of omissions from his ideal combination. Bangar delivered a bold statement and said Mohammed Shami, who will be returning after a long time, isn't an instant starter for him in the Indian side.
“You eliminate one of the fast bowlers. If Arshdeep and Bumrah are both available, then you can afford to leave out somebody like a Shami. So for me, Shami is not a starter," Bangar said on Star Sports.
He also suggested that KL Rahul should start as the wicketkeeper batter in the XI over Rishabh Pant, who hasn't played much 50-over format in the last couple of years.
“Then one between Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel and one reserve wicketkeeper. So in this case, Rishabh Pant may be on the benches," he added.
Meanwhile, the former batting coach was impressed with India's bowling unit for the Champions Trophy as the return of Shami and Kuldeep Yadav has strengthened them for the big challenge.
“The bowling looks really, really good with Shami back and Kuldeep back. Shami, for all you know, was working from one format to the other format, wherein he has played across three formats for his domestic team," Bangar said.
He also advised the team management to give Shami enough game time in the England series to get him ready for the Champions Trophy.
“It is a clear indication that, over a period of time, he has gained fitness and is ready to bowl the number of overs that are required to be bowled with high intensity. So he should be playing most of the games right from the first game against England, and the more games that he plays, the better he gets, because that’s what history suggests about Mohammed Shami," he added.
Sanjay Bangar’s Prefered India 11
Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh.
