Kohli, Pandya in, Samson and Rahul out: Irfan Pathan selects T20 World Cup team, becomes subject of controversy

Irfan Pathan, a former Indian cricketer, has shared his thoughts on the Indian squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup, causing quite a stir with his selection choices. He discussed his selections on Star Sports, and his lineup has raised a few eyebrows due to some unexpected inclusions and exclusions.

Pathan’s squad includes Virat Kohli, a veteran whose place on the team has been questioned by some critics. Before the IPL (Indian Premier League), there were rumors that selectors might leave out Kohli. However, his exceptional performances in the IPL this season silenced the critics, making him a standout pick for Pathan. Alongside Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal is also part of the squad. Although Jaiswal had some shaky performances during the IPL, he made a strong comeback in the last game against the Mumbai Indians with a hundred.

Shubman Gill, another strong contender, is in Pathan’s squad as a backup opening option. The middle order consists of players like Abhishek Sharma, who did well in the IPL, and Shivam Dube, who has been phenomenal for Chennai Super Kings (CSK), scoring over 300 runs this season.

One of the surprising picks is MI captain Hardik Pandya, who hasn’t performed well in this season’s IPL and hasn’t bowled much, raising concerns about his form and fitness. Despite this, Pathan included Pandya in his squad, perhaps betting on his experience and past performances.

However, the notable omission is Sanju Samson, a talented wicketkeeper-batter, along with KL Rahul, another experienced player. Irfan Pathan chose to include only Rishabh Pant as the sole wicketkeeper-batter in the squad. This choice raises questions about what happens if Pant needs to sit out a game due to injury or other reasons, as there would be no other wicketkeeper in the squad.

This lineup announcement by Irfan Pathan has led to considerable debate among cricket fans and analysts, with many questioning his decisions, particularly the inclusion of players like Pandya, who are not in great form, and the exclusion of dependable wicketkeeper-batters like Sanju Samson and KL Rahul.