axar: Toss-up between Axar and Ashwin for second spinner’s slot

Axar Patel enjoyed an intense net session under the watchful eye of coach Rahul Dravid, but his place in India’s playing XI is still not certain as Pakistan’s much-awaited T20 World Cup event featured three left-handers in their line-up. player is a possibility. Here on Sunday.

The Indian team has not had a fixed XI in the last one year, either because of workload management or due to injuries to players that affect the balance of the team.

Friday’s practice session cannot be a sure sign about the final playing XI as most of the senior players opted to rest that day.

But captain Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Surya Kumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya are certain and in current form Dinesh Karthik is ahead of Rishabh Pant.

Karthik kept practicing for a long time after his batting session.

But to be fair to Pant, he is the only left-arm specialist batting option in the top six and if both Karthik and Pant are included in the playing XI, then Rohit to play Pandya as the fifth bowling option. Will be forced, which can backfire. on occasions.

Similarly, Axar is the most frequent spinner in sight but Pakistan have Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Nawaz and Khushdil Shah in the top order and playing a left-arm spinner against them may not be a good option.

Ravichandran Ashwin’s experience cannot be ignored as he brings variety to the table.

Yuzvendra Chahal, by far looks like the first-choice spinner and with big side boundaries on big Australian grounds, wrist spinners are a must have.

With Mohammed Shami hitting the straps with Arshdeep Singh and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the pace troika looks settled as Harshal Patel cannot be picked on current form.

Originally published at Pen 18