In the ODI World Cup, Mohammad Azharuddin, the former India captain, seems to favor Shreyas Iyer over others. He’s also backing the thought of adding R Ashwin to the team at the last minute. Azhar points out that the Indian team has faced challenges in knockout matches over the past decade and hopes for a change this time around.
Amidst choices like Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav for a single spot, the middle order seems jam-packed. However, Shreyas Iyer, missing out on a few matches due to a back injury, came back strong with a brilliant century in Indore, making a strong case for himself.
Azharuddin said, “Shreyas played really well after coming back. He always looks to score, and that’s great for the team.” He believes Iyer has done enough to secure his spot.
On the topic of R Ashwin, who recently played against Australia after a long ODI break, Azhar feels he’s a valuable addition, especially if Axar Patel isn’t fully fit. Ashwin’s varied bowling skills and decent batting can be a bonus.
Discussing the pace attack, Azharuddin feels Mohammad Shami’s skills are a notch above and should be preferred over Shardul Thakur. He mentioned, “Shami has been consistent. Though Shardul has had his moments, with Hardik Pandya in the team, there might not be a need for Shardul.”
Surprisingly, Azhar places his bets on Shubman Gill, and not the experienced Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli, to be the standout player for India. “Gill’s been fantastic recently. He could be a game-changer,” he noted.
Discussing India’s decade-long ICC trophy drought since 2013, Azhar says the team is bound to feel the pressure. He emphasized, “It’s going to be a closely fought World Cup. India is strong, and the home crowd advantage will be there. But they shouldn’t think too far ahead and focus on the present.”
Lastly, Azhar expressed disappointment that his hometown, Hyderabad, won’t be hosting an India match. He wished for high-profile matches like India vs. Pakistan to be played there.
Fans are particularly excited about the India-Pakistan clash scheduled on October 14 in Ahmedabad.
Team Rosters for the World Cup:
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya (vc), and others including Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, and KL Rahul.
Pakistan: Led by Babar Azam, the team includes stars like Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman, and Imam-ul-Haq.
