The All-India Senior Selection Committee had announced the T20 World Cup squad earlier this week, and the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel made their comeback from respective injuries. Ravindra Jadeja is not a part of the squad, as he got injured during the Asia Cup and then he underwent a surgery. Former Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardena has said that Jadeja not being available will be a “massive loss” for Team India.
“It is a challenge. They had fitted him nicely in that No.5 role. He has been batting really well and him and Hardik (Pandya) being in that top six – two guys who can give that all-round options – gave India much more flexibility in that batting order,” Jayawardena said on The ICC Review.
“It is a tough one for them, and probably a concern not having that left-hander. They’ve switched to leaving out DK (Dinesh Karthik) and bringing in Rishabh (Pant) in that role, batting at 5 or 4. Those are things they have to settle going into the World Cup. But not having Jadeja, the form that he was in… it will be a massive loss for them,” he added.
One positive for India is the form of Virat Kohli. The right-handed batter was in exceptional form in the Asia Cup, where he registered his first T20I ton while playing against Afghanistan. This was Kohli’s first international century since November 2019.
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“He was there and thereabouts pretty much,” said Jayawardena. “He just didn’t have that big score under his belt to get that confidence, especially in white-ball cricket, which is always going to happen. There were a few injury concerns in the last 12 months. He had little niggles and they rested him and India kept on giving people rest, with the workload that they had. So not having that consistent run also makes it tough,” said Jayawardena.
“In the Asia Cup he batted well, showed what he is capable of, especially in that batting position. Going forward for India, having that stability in that line-up and having confidence that a guy like Virat is going to be a factor, is going to be a concern for the opposition as well. It’s good to see him batting like that. We need all these brilliant players to be at their best form in a World Cup, and that’s what the World Cup deserves as well. Everyone going at each other at that level. It will be a fascinating World Cup in Australia,” he added.
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