The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced its 25-man squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup, scheduled to take place in the West Indies and USA from June 2 to June 29. While the batting lineup boasts star players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Suryakumar Yadav, concerns have been raised about the bowling attack, particularly the inclusion of Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj in the main lineup.
Former Indian cricketer Madan Lal, a member of the 1983 World Cup-winning team, has expressed his reservations about the pace attack, stating that it lacks strength beyond Jasprit Bumrah. “I don’t like the pace attack. Other than Jasprit Bumrah, it’s not that good,” Lal said. “Siraj has done well here and there, but his performances at the international level have been patchy.”
Lal believes that the bowling lineup will rely heavily on Bumrah for wickets and match-winning performances. “Not only in T20 cricket, you need a good pacer who can get you the wickets to win matches,” he emphasized. “Bumrah is a wicket-taker and a match-winner. Let’s see how Siraj performs. Otherwise, India will rely on Bumrah a lot.”
Lal also questioned the inclusion of Arshdeep and Siraj, stating that he is not confident in their abilities. “I am not sure about Arshdeep, nor am I sure about Siraj,” he said. “Pandya is not that effective either. I think the team management has taken a chance on him. The pace line-up is the weak link. Apart from Bumrah, we have to see how Siraj and Arshdeep bowl.”
Lal’s concerns stem from India’s history of success being tied to a strong pace attack. “If you look at the history, India performed well only when they had a good pace attack,” he said. “Only then, they won a lot of matches.”
Lal’s preferred choice for the bowling attack would have been Thangarasu Natarajan, the current Sunrisers Hyderabad death-over specialist. “If I had a chance (to pick one), I would’ve picked Natarajan,” he said. “I would have vouched for him because he is a good bowler at the death.”
