“This World Cup is important, but his career is more important. He is only 27-28, there is a lot of cricket in front of him. So, we cannot take such a risk. All the specialists we spoke to were of the same opinion. There is a lot of cricket ahead of him; he will play a lot more and help India win matches. There is no doubt that he will be missed.”
This was captain Rohit Sharma's response to a question on the absence of pacer Jasprit Bumrah in the ongoing T20 World Cup in Australia. It is the one question that Sharma has fielded the most in the past few days. The team management waited to take a call on Bumrah till the last moment, frequently checking updates on his fitness. But, with more ICC events lined up for next year, especially the ODI World Cup at home, the team management chose to go with a newly fit Mohammed Shami than risk a half-fit Bumrah.
“Shami is the correct replacement for Bumrah,” said Sachin Tendulkar during a media interaction in Mumbai. “Shami... is a good strike bowler and has been around for a long time. He has the experience of having played big matches.”
Shami, who will have both new-ball and death-overs duty, has returned to the T20I squad after recovering from Covid-19; he has not played competitive cricket for three months. But then, Shami is a seasoned campaigner and ticked all the boxes when asked to bowl the last over in India's practice match against Australia on October 17.
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With the other death options being Arshdeep Singh and Harshal Patel, both of whom do not have World Cup or Australia experience, Shami would be the go-to man for Sharma in tricky situations.
India, which will kick off the campaign by taking on Pakistan on October 23, has not lifted the trophy since the inaugural edition in 2007. When Sharma took over as captain and Rahul Dravid became coach, their brief was clear—win an ICC trophy. India last tasted success in 2013, at the Champions Trophy.
Only two players from the 2007 team are in the current squad—Sharma and wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik. The team has a mix of experience and youth. Batter Suryakumar Yadav and bowlers Axar Patel, Deepak Hooda, Arshdeep and Harshal are the World Cup debutantes. With Arshdeep lending variety as a left-arm bowler, it remains to be seen whether Sharma will choose Shami or Harshal—the latter is also a useful lower-order batter. The onus will be on the bowlers as they match up against faster lineups, including Pakistan and South Africa.
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A key point of debate would be whether to keep out firebrand batter-wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant, who was India's hero at the Gabba Test last year, but has been short of runs in the shorter format. Since June, Pant has averaged only 23 in his 15 T20I innings, with a highest score of 44. Karthik, in his new avatar as a finisher, has kept Pant out of the 11 regularly. Tendulkar, however, pointed out that there is no left-hander in India's top and middle order; the only one—Axar—comes in later.
All eyes, though, will be on Yadav, who has arguably been the best T20I batter for a year. His challenge would be to adapt to the bigger boundaries and harder, bouncier pitches in Australia. Tendulkar said that the 32-year-old always had the ability to play special knocks, but he is doing so more consistently now. “Success and appreciation have also changed him as a person,” he said, adding that the knowledge that he will surely be in the playing 11 has been key to Yadav's performances.
Even as Sharma and Dravid have arrived at an 11 after much experimentation over the past year or so, the pressure to win will be huge. For both. There is no doubt that in the absence of all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and Bumrah, this is the best squad the selectors could have picked. The rest is up to the players.
