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Former Australia spinner Brad Hogg lashed out at Team India’s selection for their T20 World Cup opening encounter against Pakistan. The Virat Kohli-led side lost the marquee clash by 10 wickets in Dubai on Sunday and Hogg named one India player whose selections, according to him, was ‘a big mistake.’
While analyzing the match on his YouTube channel, Hogg opined what India could have differently with their playing XI
“I think it was a big mistake playing Hardik Pandya,” quipped Hogg.
Pandya’s place in the team has been a hot topic for debate for quite some time now. Ever since the news of him not returning to bowling surfaced, numerous experts and cricketers called for his replacement. However, Kohli, on the eve of the game, reiterated Pandya’s importance with the bat.
Unfortunately for Kohli and Co, the Baroda all-rounder failed to make a significant impact with the bat; scoring 11 off 8 balls. Soon after, he was taken to the hospital for scans after suffering a blow on his shoulders while he was batting.
Hogg said he would have perhaps gone in with Shardul Thakur in place of Shami and play off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin in place of Hardik.
“The only other way I would have gone is Thakur in place of probably Shami and Ashwin for Pandya. In that case, you can have Jadeja batting in at 6, Thakur at 7 and Ashwin at 8. Pandya has got to be bowling if he wants to be in the playing XI. He has got a lot of talent, but he is just not a frontline batter,” he added.
Meanwhile, former Pakistan captain Salman Butt tore down on another Indian player, Varun Chakaravarthy, and called him ineffective against a rampant side.
“Varun Chakaravarthy may be a mystery bowler but he was no surprise to us. Kids in Pakistan play a lot of tape ball cricket. Every kid in Pakistan plays this kind of bowling in street cricket, where bowlers do the finger tricks with the ball and try different variations,” said Butt.
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