MS Dhoni, Shikhar Dhawan big omissions as VVS Laxman names his India squad for tournament
Shikhar Dhawan may have announced his return with a bang against Sri Lanka but he did not find a place in VVS Laxman’s Indian side for the T20 World Cup in Australia later this year.
Former cricketer VVS Laxman picked his 15-member India squad to travel to Australia for ICC World Cup 2020 later this year. Laxman picked his team for the official broadcasters after India’s comprehensive victory over Sri Lanka in the second T20I at Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore on Tuesday.
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Courtesy of this seven-wicket victory, India went 1-0 up in three-match series (first match was abandoned without a ball being bowled in Guwahati). There was no place for stalwarts like Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Shikhar Dhawan in the team as Laxman seemingly picked the 15-member squad based on current form.
Dhoni has been away from the game ever since India was knocked out of ICC World Cup 2019 following a crushing defeat at the hands of New Zealand in the semis. He has been on a sabbatical since then and has missed the tour of the West Indies and the home series against South Africa, Bangladesh and West Indies. Moreover, he hasn’t been selected for India’s T20I series against Sri Lanka nor for the ODI series against Australia.
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As for Dhawan, he has been struggling for form since picking up injury at the World cup and since has been looking to rediscover his old touch which made him one of the most feared white-ball cricketers in the world. In the second T20I against Sri Lanka, Dhawan looked good during his 29-ball 32 but the southpaw needs his consistency back.
In Laxman’s team, KL Rahul has been given the mantle to open the innings alongside vice-captain Rohit Sharma. Skipper Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey form the crux of the middle-order followed by wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant.
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Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja and Shivam Dube are the designated all-rounders in Laxman’s squad. Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak and Mohammed Shami form the pace attack while Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav are the designated spinners.
Laxman’s 15-member for WC: Virat Kohli (C), Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Manish Pandey, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Deepak Chahar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar
