Live Score
Cricket Teams
Cricket Players‘He’s cooling his heels at home': Shastri's loaded jibe at India's ‘baffling’ selection in Asia Cup, Wasim Akram reacts
"Mohammed Shami cooling his heels at home just baffles me," an animated Ravi Shasri said in the post-match show on Star Sports after India's six-wicket loss to Sri Lanka in Asia Cup Super 4 stage on Tuesday in Dubai.
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri and Pakistan's legendary fast bowler Wasim Akram were 'baffled' with India's selection after consecutive defeats to Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Asia Cup's Super 4 stage put them on the brink. India now need a number of factors to go their way to qualify for the Asia Cup final, which is not impossible but appears highly unlikely. After a defeat in the last over against Pakistan, India brought Ravichandran Ashwin in place of Ravi Bishnoi and continued to keep Dinesh Karthik in the bench. The health issues with Avesh Khan meant India had only two specialist fast bowlers in Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Arshdeep Singh to choose from.
While Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal bowled well, picking up four wickets among them and bringing India back in the contest after a blistering 97-run opening stand between Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka, the pacers disappointed again. Hardik Pandya had another below-par day with the ball and Bhuvneshwar once again leaked crucial runs in the 19th over as Sri Lanka chased down the 174-run target with one ball to spare to all but confirm their place in the final.
Discussing the lack of options for fast bowlers in the Indian squad, Shastri said he was 'baffled' not to see Mohammed Shami in the squad. The former India all-rounder said Shami could have provided that extra fast bowling option that India missed after health issues with Avesh.
Watch | Pant shocked, utterly confused as Hardik sent ahead of him at last moment
"When you need to win, you got to prepare better. I think the selection could have been better, especially for the fast bowlers. You know the conditions here. There's not much in it for the spinner. I was quite surprised that you came here with just four fast bowlers (including Hardik). You needed that extra one… someone like Mohammed Shami sitting at home and cooling his heels baffles me. After the IPL he had, for him not to be able to make the cut is... Obviously, I'm seeing something different," an animated Ravi Shasri said in the post-match show on Star Sports after India's six-wicket loss on Tuesday in Dubai.
Shami, who had a terrific IPL with the eventual champions Gujarat Titans, picking up wickets with the new ball at will, was not included in India's Asia Cup squad despite the injuries Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel. Many believed, it was a clear indication that the veteran right-arm seamer was now not a part of India's scheme of things for T20 World Cup in Australia later this year.
Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram, who himself along with former India opener Gautam Gambhir have been vouching for Shami's inclusion in India's T20I squad since the beginning of Asia Cup, chipped in with a question for Ravi Shastri.
"Does a coach have input in selecting the team?" asked Akram.
"He does. He's not part of the selection. he can contribute by saying 'this is the combination we want' then it's up to the captain in the meeting to take that forward. When I say planning... There should have been one extra fast bowler. One spinner less in the 15-16. You don't wanna be caught situation where one guy has a fever and then you have no one else to play. You have to play another spinner which can be embarrassing in the end," Shastri replied.
