'His versatility is going to add spice': Brad Hogg picks India XI for T20 World Cup, but leaves out star opening batsman
With a huge pool of youngsters, India are spoiled for choices at the T20 World Cup, but former Australia spinner Brad Hogg sure knows the 11 Indian players he would like to have in his Playing XI.
The Indian team is currently in Sri Lanka for six limited-overs matches and with the T20 World Cup scheduled to take place later this year, the players are putting their best foot forward to present a case for themselves to be included in the squad that goes to the UAE. With a huge pool of youngsters, India are spoiled for choices, but former Australia spinner Brad Hogg sure knows the 11 Indian players he would like to have in his Playing XI.
Hogg picked out a list of 11 players that he wants to represent India at the World Cup. At the top of the order, Hogg went ahead with the opening combination of Rohit Sharma and captain Virat Kohli, meaning there was no room for Shikhar Dhawan, who has shown good form in the IPL of late. At No. 3, Hogg picked the exciting Suryakumar Yadav, followed by KL Rahul at 4 and Rishabh Pant as the floater.
"My Indian team going into the T20 World Cup would have Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma opening the batting. I might be a bit harsh on Shikhar Dhawan but they need some attacking players in the middle-order and so they need to push Kohli up the order," Hogg said in his YouTube video.
"I have Suryakumar Yadav, a youngster to international cricket, at No.3. I think his versatility is going to add a bit of spice to that batting line-up. KL Rahul is the prime runner for the No.4 spot. Coming in at No.5 is Rishabh Pant and I would keep him as a floater. If there is a wicket falling in the seventh over, I would send him up the order at dominate against spin. I would have Hardik Pandya at No.6 and Ravindra Jadeja at No.7."
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As far as the bowling combination goes, Hogg feels it will be important to see who among Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal would get the nod, while sticking to the fast-bowling trio of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shardul Thakur and Jasprit Bumrah.
"If Kuldeep Yadav does well in Sri Lanka, having a left-arm wrist-spinner could be a point of difference. But at the moment, Chahal is the number one spinner. Someone like a Thakur could get an opportunity due to his explosive batting and he is also good in the powerplay and at the death. Then you got Bhuvi and then Bumrah," Hogg pointed out.
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