Eoin Morgan says India should have picked Shubman Gill (right) ahead of Yashasvi Jaiswal in their T20 World Cup squad. (Express photo by Nirmal Harindran)
Former England captain Eoin Morgan calls India the “favourites” to win the T20 World Cup and feels the selectors should have picked his former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) teammate Shubman Gill ahead of Yashasvi Jaiswal in the squad.
“The strongest side even with injuries throughout the tournament is India. Their strength and depth is absolutely incredible,” Morgan said on Sky Sports.
“And it’s almost probably, we’re talking about who the players that were missed out in their squad of 15 because of the quality that they possess.
“They are favourites for me, the quality they have on paper, if they produce it I think they can beat anybody quite well in the tournament,” he added.
“The only decision I would have had differently and if I was selecting the squad, I would have Shubman Gill over Yashasvi Jaiswal. I have played alongside him, I know how he thinks. I know how he works.
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“I feel he’s a future leader within that side and I think in big moments, in World Cups the more leaders the better. Even if he’s sitting on the sideline, you still need inspiration from here and there, a sense of positivity.”
But former England captain Michael Atherton pointed out that India head into almost every tournament as favourites but they haven’t won an ICC title in over a decade and ironically that the only time India won the T20 World Cup was before the IPL came into being.
“It’s also an irony, because everyone talks about the IPL and how it has improved India’s T20 cricket. The irony is that the only time they have won is pre IPL,” Atherton said.
Nasser Hussain and Atherton quipped Morgan about India’s style of playing in the T20 and how in the last edition of the T20 World Cup they were hammered by 10 wickets by eventual winners England in the semifinals in Adelaide.
“I think they can (win), because they have go to a stage now where Adelaide would hurt, recently losing the (ODI) World Cup at home to Australia in front of 1,25,000 Indian fans.
“The spinner will come into the game, the level of batsmanship will come into the game if the wickets slow down like we think. But also that excellence in power hitting is the point of difference for me. Shivam Dube has to play, I think he’ll set this World Cup alight.”
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