India's 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup looks solid on paper but not all experts and former cricketers are convinced with the sort of combinations that the selectors have picked. There remain those who feel that India have picked far too many spinners for the showpiece event. Even India's former bowling coach Bharat Arun is of the opinion that three spinners are 'far too many' as only one of them will feature in the playing XI at a given point of time. Instead, Arun wanted the selectors to take express pacer Umran Malik to Australia.
Speaking of India's pace-bowling unit, Arun feels Umran can really deliver in the shortest format if given the right kind of field, especially in Australia where the grounds are bigger than that in India.
"Umran Malik is exciting, he's got the pace. And given the right kind of fields he's done pretty well in the IPL. Considering the wickets in Australia I feel India have carried far too many spinners. Somebody like a Umran Malik would have been a great fill-up for the team," said Arun in a conversation with WC Raman for Sportstar.
Coming to the importance of spinners in the Indian team for the T20 World Cup in Australia, Arun feels only two spinners should have been picked in the 15-man roster, and instead of the third spinner, Umran should've been included.
"Yes there is bounce, the grounds are big spinners have a very important role in Australia but I think three spinners are too many. Because at any given point you would be playing just one spinner in the team and you have the choice of two spinners in the side. Three spinners is too many. That's why I said Umran Malik instead of one spinner would have been a very very wise move," he said.
The fact that Team India has also lost Jasprit Bumrah has further weakened India's pace bowling unit. The selectors haven't yet made a replacement, but the choice is likely to be between Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj.