India lost to Australia in the three-match T20I series opener in Mohali on Tuesday evening (September 20). Being asked to bat first, India managed to post a mammoth 208 for 6 in 20 overs, riding on KL Rahul's 55, Suryakumar Yadav's 46 and Hardik Pandya's 71 not out. At one stage, the hosts were&nbsp;reduced to 35 for 2 following the dismissals of captain Rohit Sharma (11) and Virat Kohli (7-ball 2).

In reply, Aaron Finch-led Aussies chased down the score in 19.2 overs courtesy of all-rounder Cameron Green's 61 and Matthew Wade's entertaining 21-ball 45 not out. Following this loss, former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria made a bold claim, suggesting skipper Rohit to demote himself in the batting order and asking for Virat's promotion in his place. In addition, he gave another suggestion; calling for&nbsp;Rohit-Virat to open and dropping&nbsp;Rahul to No. 3.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kaneria pointed out, "Rohit Sharma isn't scoring enough runs. We saw that during the Asia Cup too. He is getting starts, but hasn't been able to convert them into big knocks. He should consider dropping himself to No. 3 and Virat Kohli could open. Or India could ask KL Rahul to be the No. 3 with Virat and Rohit playing as openers."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-aus-1st-t20i-sunil-gavaskar-points-out-rohit-cos-real-concern-after-defeat-in-mohali-run-feast-518417">Ind vs Aus, 1st T20I: Sunil Gavaskar points out Rohit &amp; Co.'s 'real concern' after defeat in Mohali run-feast</a>

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Further, Kaneria slammed Virat for his poor shot selection in the series opener in Mohali. "Virat Kohli received a huge ovation from the crowd when he came out to bat. However, he could only manage to score two runs. There was no need for him to play that shot and there was no requirement for that shot at that stage of the match. He should have looked to spend more time at the crease before playing his shots. It was a fresh wicket and he needed to adjust first," the ex-Pakistan leggie concluded.

With Rohit more suited to take on the bowlers from the word go, compared to KL and Virat, it seems highly unlikely that the Indian team management will opt to demote the skipper, with the T20 World Cup less than a month away.

Meanwhile, the&nbsp;second and penultimate T20I between both sides will be held in Nagpur on Friday evening (September 23).
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India lost to Australia in the three-match T20I series opener in Mohali on Tuesday evening (September 20). Being asked to bat first, India managed to post a mammoth 208 for 6 in 20 overs, riding on KL Rahul's 55, Suryakumar Yadav's 46 and Hardik Pandya's 71 not out.

India lost to Australia in the three-match T20I series opener in Mohali on Tuesday evening (September 20). Being asked to bat first, India managed to post a mammoth 208 for 6 in 20 overs, riding on KL Rahul's 55, Suryakumar Yadav's 46 and Hardik Pandya's 71 not out. At one stage, the hosts were reduced to 35 for 2 following the dismissals of captain Rohit Sharma (11) and Virat Kohli (7-ball 2). In reply, Aaron Finch-led Aussies chased down the score in 19.2 overs courtesy of all-rounder Cameron Green's 61 and Matthew Wade's entertaining 21-ball 45 not out. Following this loss, former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria made a bold claim, suggesting skipper Rohit to demote himself in the batting order and asking for Virat's promotion in his place. In addition, he gave another suggestion; calling for Rohit-Virat to open and dropping Rahul to No. 3. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kaneria pointed out, "Rohit Sharma isn't scoring enough runs. We saw that during the Asia Cup too. He is getting starts, but hasn't been able to convert them into big knocks. He should consider dropping himself to No. 3 and Virat Kohli could open. Or India could ask KL Rahul to be the No. 3 with Virat and Rohit playing as openers." ALSO READ | Ind vs Aus, 1st T20I: Sunil Gavaskar points out Rohit & Co.'s 'real concern' after defeat in Mohali run-feast Further, Kaneria slammed Virat for his poor shot selection in the series opener in Mohali. "Virat Kohli received a huge ovation from the crowd when he came out to bat. However, he could only manage to score two runs. There was no need for him to play that shot and there was no requirement for that shot at that stage of the match. He should have looked to spend more time at the crease before playing his shots. It was a fresh wicket and he needed to adjust first," the ex-Pakistan leggie concluded. With Rohit more suited to take on the bowlers from the word go, compared to KL and Virat, it seems highly unlikely that the Indian team management will opt to demote the skipper, with the T20 World Cup less than a month away. Meanwhile, the second and penultimate T20I between both sides will be held in Nagpur on Friday evening (September 23).

Rohit Sharma should drop to no.3, Virat Kohli can open: Ex-Pak cricketer's absurd suggestion to Team India

India played Australia in the three-match T20I series opener on Tuesday evening (September 20) at the PCA IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali. The Rohit Sharma-led Men in Blue posted a mammoth 208 for 6 in 20 overs, registering their highest score versus the Aussies in the format, before failing to defend the tall score.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Harshal Patel leaked plenty of runs&nbsp;-- with India needing 40 to defend off the last 18 balls -- as the duo were taken to the cleaners and led to Australia's four-wicket win, riding on Cameron Green's 61 and Matthew Wade's 45 not out. During the clash, Rishabh Pant's absence made heads turn as the Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid-led team management went ahead with veteran Dinesh Karthik as the wicketkeeper-batter, dropping Pant.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/you-tell-me-i-dont-know-hardik-pandya-tells-reporter-when-asked-about-turning-point-in-mohali-t20i-518333">'You tell me, I don't know' - Hardik Pandya tells reporter when asked about 'turning point' in Mohali T20I</a>

It is to be noted that Pant wasn't preferred in the playing XI in India's Asia Cup opener, versus Pakistan. However, he replaced DK from the line-up in the following games before the two featured in the playing XI in India's last clash, versus Afghanistan in the Super Four round.

After Pant's omission, former Aussie opener-turned-commentator Matthew Hayden backed the star player and called for his inclusion, at all times, across formats. "Rishabh Pant would be picked in every side if I was the selector. He is just the future. He needs to be backed and needs time. Even if it's through runs or form, he should be there in my opinion. He is a superior player in pretty much every way and aspect," Hayden said on air during the 1st T20I in Mohali.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/jasprit-bumrahs-absence-makes-a-big-difference-hardik-pandya-reflects-on-indias-1st-t20i-loss-vs-australia-518367">Jasprit Bumrah's absence makes a big difference: Hardik Pandya reflects on India's 1st T20I loss vs Australia</a>

Further, Hayden also spoke highly about Josh Inglis -- who scored a vital 10-ball 17 in the run-chase -- and expects young stars to step up in the India series, in the absence of Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Marsh and David Warner. "They are a depleted side but the reality of it is that they have got to dig deep. We have got to look towards what is next in the line-up. Young Inglis is such an exciting and young player. He is almost like a mirror-image of David Warner. He is a right-handed version. He cuts, he pulls, he lays back and when it comes his way, he hits it through the on-side. He is also a very good powerful player," Hayden added.

India played Australia in the three-match T20I series opener on Tuesday evening (September 20) at the PCA IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali. The Rohit Sharma-led Men in Blue posted a mammoth 208 for 6 in 20 overs, registering their highest score versus the Aussies in the format, before failing to defend the tall score.

India played Australia in the three-match T20I series opener on Tuesday evening (September 20) at the PCA IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali. The Rohit Sharma-led Men in Blue posted a mammoth 208 for 6 in 20 overs, registering their highest score versus the Aussies in the format, before failing to defend the tall score. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Harshal Patel leaked plenty of runs -- with India needing 40 to defend off the last 18 balls -- as the duo were taken to the cleaners and led to Australia's four-wicket win, riding on Cameron Green's 61 and Matthew Wade's 45 not out. During the clash, Rishabh Pant's absence made heads turn as the Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid-led team management went ahead with veteran Dinesh Karthik as the wicketkeeper-batter, dropping Pant. ALSO READ | 'You tell me, I don't know' - Hardik Pandya tells reporter when asked about 'turning point' in Mohali T20I It is to be noted that Pant wasn't preferred in the playing XI in India's Asia Cup opener, versus Pakistan. However, he replaced DK from the line-up in the following games before the two featured in the playing XI in India's last clash, versus Afghanistan in the Super Four round. After Pant's omission, former Aussie opener-turned-commentator Matthew Hayden backed the star player and called for his inclusion, at all times, across formats. "Rishabh Pant would be picked in every side if I was the selector. He is just the future. He needs to be backed and needs time. Even if it's through runs or form, he should be there in my opinion. He is a superior player in pretty much every way and aspect," Hayden said on air during the 1st T20I in Mohali. ALSO READ | Jasprit Bumrah's absence makes a big difference: Hardik Pandya reflects on India's 1st T20I loss vs Australia Further, Hayden also spoke highly about Josh Inglis -- who scored a vital 10-ball 17 in the run-chase -- and expects young stars to step up in the India series, in the absence of Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Marsh and David Warner. "They are a depleted side but the reality of it is that they have got to dig deep. We have got to look towards what is next in the line-up. Young Inglis is such an exciting and young player. He is almost like a mirror-image of David Warner. He is a right-handed version. He cuts, he pulls, he lays back and when it comes his way, he hits it through the on-side. He is also a very good powerful player," Hayden added.

Rishabh Pant is a superior player, says ex-Aussie opener after India prefer Dinesh Karthik in Mohali T20I

India locked horns with Australia in the first of the three-match T20I series on Tuesday evening (September 20), at the PCA IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali. Being asked to bat first, Rohit Sharma-led hosts rode on vice-captain KL Rahul's 55, Suryakumar Yadav's 46 and Hardik Pandya's 71 not out to post 208 for 6 in 20 overs.

In reply, Australia were well-placed at 109 for 1 in ten overs. From thereon, Axar Patel and Umesh Yadav reduced the visitors to 145-5 in 14.1 overs and Rohit &amp; Co. were favourites with Australia needing 40 off 18 balls before Matthew Wade's 21-ball 45 not out, after opener Cameron Green (61) laid the foundation, took the Men in Yellow home with four wickets and equal number of balls to spare.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-vs-aus-hitman-for-a-reason-rohit-sharma-equals-martin-guptills-record-of-most-sixes-in-t20is-518158">India vs Aus: Hitman for a reason! Rohit Sharma equals Martin Guptill's record of most sixes in T20Is</a>

India's premier pacers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Harshal Patel were taken to the cleaners in the end overs as India lost the match to concede a 1-0 lead to Aaron Finch &amp; Co. After the contest, all-rounder Hardik (who slammed a breathtaking 30-ball 71*) mentioned that the home side felt the absence of Jasprit Bumrah.

"Jasprit not being there obviously makes a big difference. He is coming back after an injury, it is important for him to get enough time to kind of come back and maybe not put a lot of pressure on himself," said Hardik told the reporters.

"We all know what he brings to the table and how important he is for us. There will be concerns here and there (about bowling) which is fine. We got to trust our boys. These are the best 15 in the country and that is why they are there in the squad," Hardik added.

Bumrah has returned from a back injury, which ruled him out of the Asia Cup, but the team management didn't rush his comeback into the playing XI for the Mohali encounter. In his absence, Bhuvi leaked 31 runs in his final two overs whereas Harshal conceded 22 in the penultimate over of Australia's run-chase.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/you-tell-me-i-dont-know-hardik-pandya-tells-reporter-when-asked-about-turning-point-in-mohali-t20i-518333">'You tell me, I don't know' - Hardik Pandya tells reporter when asked about 'turning point' in Mohali T20I</a>

Hardik also opined on his own contribution with the bat and said, "I have gotten a lot of success recently, but for me, what is more important is that even on my good days how can I get better? The kind of career graph I have had, I don't make a big deal about my performances, whether success or failure."

"I had a good game today. They could target me in the next game and I need to be one step ahead," Pandya concluded.

The second and penultimate game will be held on Friday (September 23) in Nagpur.

India locked horns with Australia in the first of the three-match T20I series on Tuesday evening (September 20), at the PCA IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali. Being asked to bat first, Rohit Sharma-led hosts rode on vice-captain KL Rahul's 55, Suryakumar Yadav's 46 and Hardik Pandya's 71 not out to post 208 for 6 in 20 overs.

India locked horns with Australia in the first of the three-match T20I series on Tuesday evening (September 20), at the PCA IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali. Being asked to bat first, Rohit Sharma-led hosts rode on vice-captain KL Rahul's 55, Suryakumar Yadav's 46 and Hardik Pandya's 71 not out to post 208 for 6 in 20 overs. In reply, Australia were well-placed at 109 for 1 in ten overs. From thereon, Axar Patel and Umesh Yadav reduced the visitors to 145-5 in 14.1 overs and Rohit & Co. were favourites with Australia needing 40 off 18 balls before Matthew Wade's 21-ball 45 not out, after opener Cameron Green (61) laid the foundation, took the Men in Yellow home with four wickets and equal number of balls to spare. ALSO READ | India vs Aus: Hitman for a reason! Rohit Sharma equals Martin Guptill's record of most sixes in T20Is India's premier pacers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Harshal Patel were taken to the cleaners in the end overs as India lost the match to concede a 1-0 lead to Aaron Finch & Co. After the contest, all-rounder Hardik (who slammed a breathtaking 30-ball 71*) mentioned that the home side felt the absence of Jasprit Bumrah. "Jasprit not being there obviously makes a big difference. He is coming back after an injury, it is important for him to get enough time to kind of come back and maybe not put a lot of pressure on himself," said Hardik told the reporters. "We all know what he brings to the table and how important he is for us. There will be concerns here and there (about bowling) which is fine. We got to trust our boys. These are the best 15 in the country and that is why they are there in the squad," Hardik added. Bumrah has returned from a back injury, which ruled him out of the Asia Cup, but the team management didn't rush his comeback into the playing XI for the Mohali encounter. In his absence, Bhuvi leaked 31 runs in his final two overs whereas Harshal conceded 22 in the penultimate over of Australia's run-chase. ALSO READ | 'You tell me, I don't know' - Hardik Pandya tells reporter when asked about 'turning point' in Mohali T20I Hardik also opined on his own contribution with the bat and said, "I have gotten a lot of success recently, but for me, what is more important is that even on my good days how can I get better? The kind of career graph I have had, I don't make a big deal about my performances, whether success or failure." "I had a good game today. They could target me in the next game and I need to be one step ahead," Pandya concluded. The second and penultimate game will be held on Friday (September 23) in Nagpur.

Jasprit Bumrah's absence makes a big difference: Hardik Pandya reflects on India's 1st T20I loss vs Australia

A lot has been said and written about KL Rahul in recent times. Rahul returned to international cricket in mid-August, his first-ever appearance at the highest level since February early this year, and looked ordinary with the bat in the Zimbabwe ODIs and Asia Cup 2022 edition.

While he scored a 41-ball 62 versus Afghanistan in India's inconsequential tie in the Super Four round of the Asia Cup, Rahul's strike rate has remained a hot topic of discission. He tends to take some time before accelerating while playing both for India and his IPL franchise. However, he came to his own in India's three-match T20I series opener versus Australia, in Mohali, on Tuesday evening (September 20).

Being asked to bat first, India lost captain Rohit Sharma (11) and Virat Kohli (2) for cheap before Rahul stitched a handy 68-run third-wicket stand with Suryakumar Yadav (46) and slammed a stylish 45-ball 55, laced with 4 fours and 3 sixes at 157.14. By virtue of this knock, Rahul became the third-quickest to reach 2,000 runs in the format (third Indian overall).

Rahul now has 2,018 runs (counting his latest knock versus the Aussies). He is among the 18 batsmen to be a part of the elusive 2k-run-club&nbsp;in the format. Rohit (3,631), Virat (3,586) and Martin Guptill (3,497) are the leading run-getters in men's T20Is.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/you-never-see-a-when-a-batter-kl-rahul-on-his-t20i-strike-rate-before-australia-series-opener-517788">'You never see when a batter...' - KL Rahul on his T20I strike rate before Australia series opener</a>

Ahead of the series opener versus Aaron Finch &amp; Co., vice-captain Rahul had spoken about his strike rate issues while addressing the media on Monday (September 19). "Look, obviously something that every player wants to work on. No one is perfect, everybody is working towards something, obviously strike rates are taken on an overall basis. You never see when a batter has played at a certain strike rate, whether it was important to play for him to play at a 200 strike rate or whether the team could still have won with him playing at 120-130. These are the things that no one analyses," KL Rahul told the reporters.

"Yes, it is something that I am working at, the roles that have been defined for each player in the last 10-12 months have been very clear, and everyone is working towards it. And, I am just working towards how I can better myself as an opening batter and how I can have an impact on my team whenever I go out to bat," he added.

A lot has been said and written about KL Rahul in recent times. Rahul returned to international cricket in mid-August, his first-ever appearance at the highest level since February early this year, and looked ordinary with the bat in the Zimbabwe ODIs and Asia Cup 2022 edition.

A lot has been said and written about KL Rahul in recent times. Rahul returned to international cricket in mid-August, his first-ever appearance at the highest level since February early this year, and looked ordinary with the bat in the Zimbabwe ODIs and Asia Cup 2022 edition. While he scored a 41-ball 62 versus Afghanistan in India's inconsequential tie in the Super Four round of the Asia Cup, Rahul's strike rate has remained a hot topic of discission. He tends to take some time before accelerating while playing both for India and his IPL franchise. However, he came to his own in India's three-match T20I series opener versus Australia, in Mohali, on Tuesday evening (September 20). Being asked to bat first, India lost captain Rohit Sharma (11) and Virat Kohli (2) for cheap before Rahul stitched a handy 68-run third-wicket stand with Suryakumar Yadav (46) and slammed a stylish 45-ball 55, laced with 4 fours and 3 sixes at 157.14. By virtue of this knock, Rahul became the third-quickest to reach 2,000 runs in the format (third Indian overall). Rahul now has 2,018 runs (counting his latest knock versus the Aussies). He is among the 18 batsmen to be a part of the elusive 2k-run-club in the format. Rohit (3,631), Virat (3,586) and Martin Guptill (3,497) are the leading run-getters in men's T20Is. ALSO READ | 'You never see when a batter...' - KL Rahul on his T20I strike rate before Australia series opener Ahead of the series opener versus Aaron Finch & Co., vice-captain Rahul had spoken about his strike rate issues while addressing the media on Monday (September 19). "Look, obviously something that every player wants to work on. No one is perfect, everybody is working towards something, obviously strike rates are taken on an overall basis. You never see when a batter has played at a certain strike rate, whether it was important to play for him to play at a 200 strike rate or whether the team could still have won with him playing at 120-130. These are the things that no one analyses," KL Rahul told the reporters. "Yes, it is something that I am working at, the roles that have been defined for each player in the last 10-12 months have been very clear, and everyone is working towards it. And, I am just working towards how I can better myself as an opening batter and how I can have an impact on my team whenever I go out to bat," he added.

KL Rahul becomes third-fastest to 2,000 T20I runs during blistering knock vs Australia in Mohali

Jasprit Bumrah wasn't part of India's dismal run in the Asia Cup 2022 edition, held in the UAE. While the pacer has returned to the Indian team and is part of the main squad for the T20 World Cup 2022 edition, to be held in Australia, the 28-year-old will look to be at his best with the ball after returning to action post his back injury.

Bumrah is part of India's T20I squads for the Australia and South Africa home series. However, the premier pacer wasn't named in Rohit &amp; Co.'s playing XI for the T20I series versus Aaron Finch-led Aussies, in Mohali, on Tuesday evening (September 20). At the coin toss, Finch opted to bowl first and Rohit explained the reason behind Bumrah's absence.

"Bumrah is not playing, he will take a game's break and probably come back in the second and the third game," said Rohit at the toss ceremony. Meanwhile, Dinesh Karthik pipped&nbsp;Rishabh Pant to be named India's wicketkeeper-batter in the&nbsp;XI. It is to be noted that Pant was preferred over DK in India's all-important Asia Cup Super Four encounters versus Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Both, however, played the inconsequential tie against Afghanistan.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-rahul-gandhi-will-open-for-india-at-t20-world-cup-says-tv-anchor-as-video-goes-viral-518102">Watch - 'Rahul Gandhi will open for India at T20 World Cup, says tv anchor as video goes viral</a>

Rohit also explained the significance of the home series -- versus the Aussies and SA -- for Team India heading into the T20 WC. "Looking at what happened in the Asia Cup, we had a chance to reflect on where we went wrong. This gives us an opportunity to correct ourselves," revealed Rohit.

Playing XIs

Australia:&nbsp;Aaron Finch(c), Cameron Green, Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Josh Inglis, Tim David, Matthew Wade(w), Pat Cummins, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood

India:&nbsp;Rohit Sharma(c), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik(w), Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Umesh Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal

Jasprit Bumrah wasn't part of India's dismal run in the Asia Cup 2022 edition, held in the UAE. While the pacer has returned to the Indian team and is part of the main squad for the T20 World Cup 2022 edition, to be held in Australia, the 28-year-old will look to be at his best with the ball after returning to action post his back injury.

Jasprit Bumrah wasn't part of India's dismal run in the Asia Cup 2022 edition, held in the UAE. While the pacer has returned to the Indian team and is part of the main squad for the T20 World Cup 2022 edition, to be held in Australia, the 28-year-old will look to be at his best with the ball after returning to action post his back injury. Bumrah is part of India's T20I squads for the Australia and South Africa home series. However, the premier pacer wasn't named in Rohit & Co.'s playing XI for the T20I series versus Aaron Finch-led Aussies, in Mohali, on Tuesday evening (September 20). At the coin toss, Finch opted to bowl first and Rohit explained the reason behind Bumrah's absence. "Bumrah is not playing, he will take a game's break and probably come back in the second and the third game," said Rohit at the toss ceremony. Meanwhile, Dinesh Karthik pipped Rishabh Pant to be named India's wicketkeeper-batter in the XI. It is to be noted that Pant was preferred over DK in India's all-important Asia Cup Super Four encounters versus Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Both, however, played the inconsequential tie against Afghanistan. ALSO READ | Watch - 'Rahul Gandhi will open for India at T20 World Cup, says tv anchor as video goes viral Rohit also explained the significance of the home series -- versus the Aussies and SA -- for Team India heading into the T20 WC. "Looking at what happened in the Asia Cup, we had a chance to reflect on where we went wrong. This gives us an opportunity to correct ourselves," revealed Rohit. Playing XIs Australia: Aaron Finch(c), Cameron Green, Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Josh Inglis, Tim David, Matthew Wade(w), Pat Cummins, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood India: Rohit Sharma(c), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik(w), Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Umesh Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal

Ind vs Aus, 1st T20I: EXPLAINED! Why Jasprit Bumrah didn't make the cut in India's playing XI

India's 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup was announced by the BCCI last week. It featured majority of the players who were part of Rohit Sharma &amp; Co.'s dismal Asia Cup campaign, with pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel also being included after regaining fitness.

In the reserves, the likes of Md Shami, Ravi Bishnoi, Shreyas Iyer and Deepak Chahar were named. The biggest exclusion was Sanju Samson, who wasn't even mentioned in the standby list. Former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria feels India could've gone for Samson instead of Pant, who he believes 'shouldn't be part of the Indian T20 team at the moment'.

"India must keep their friendships aside and not pick players on that basis. Rishabh Pant doesn't look like a good T20 player. He is more suited to 50-over cricket and Test matches," Kaneria said in a video on his YouTube channel.

"Sanju Samson could be a better option over Rishabh Pant. Pant's recent performances also haven't been that great and Dinesh Karthik is also already there in the team," he opined.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-aus-virat-kohli-207-runs-away-from-overtaking-head-coach-rahul-dravid-in-elite-list-518031">Ind vs Aus: Virat Kohli 207 runs away from overtaking head coach Rahul Dravid in elite list</a>

Kaneria&nbsp;further asserted, "Samson deserved to be a part of the team. He was impressive when India toured Australia in 2020. His hand-eye coordination is very good. The wickets in Australia would have suited his playing style. Pant is no doubt a very good player, but I don't think he should be a part of India's T20 team at the moment."

India's final 15-man squad for T20 World Cup 2022:

Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul (VC), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dinesh Karthik (WK), Hardik Pandya, R&nbsp;Ashwin, Yuzvendra&nbsp;Chahal, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh

Standby players -&nbsp;Mohammed&nbsp;Shami, Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, Deepak Chahar

India's 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup was announced by the BCCI last week. It featured majority of the players who were part of Rohit Sharma & Co.'s dismal Asia Cup campaign, with pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel also being included after regaining fitness.

India's 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup was announced by the BCCI last week. It featured majority of the players who were part of Rohit Sharma & Co.'s dismal Asia Cup campaign, with pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel also being included after regaining fitness. In the reserves, the likes of Md Shami, Ravi Bishnoi, Shreyas Iyer and Deepak Chahar were named. The biggest exclusion was Sanju Samson, who wasn't even mentioned in the standby list. Former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria feels India could've gone for Samson instead of Pant, who he believes 'shouldn't be part of the Indian T20 team at the moment'. "India must keep their friendships aside and not pick players on that basis. Rishabh Pant doesn't look like a good T20 player. He is more suited to 50-over cricket and Test matches," Kaneria said in a video on his YouTube channel. "Sanju Samson could be a better option over Rishabh Pant. Pant's recent performances also haven't been that great and Dinesh Karthik is also already there in the team," he opined. ALSO READ | Ind vs Aus: Virat Kohli 207 runs away from overtaking head coach Rahul Dravid in elite list Kaneria further asserted, "Samson deserved to be a part of the team. He was impressive when India toured Australia in 2020. His hand-eye coordination is very good. The wickets in Australia would have suited his playing style. Pant is no doubt a very good player, but I don't think he should be a part of India's T20 team at the moment." India's final 15-man squad for T20 World Cup 2022: Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul (VC), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dinesh Karthik (WK), Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh Standby players - Mohammed Shami, Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, Deepak Chahar

Sanju Samson could be a better option over Rishabh Pant: Ex-Pak spinner analyses India's T20 WC squad

Virat Kohli returned to international cricket during the Asia Cup after a break post the England tour. The 33-year-old announced his return in style, ending the continental tournament as the second-highest run-getter (276 runs) in five outings and ended his international century drought in India's face-off versus Afghanistan.

Kohli will now look to carry on in a similar stead and play a key role in guiding India to a title win in the upcoming T20 World Cup, to be held in Australia from October-November. Ahead of the showpiece event Down Under, India are set to host Australia in three T20Is and South Africa in three T20Is and ODIs each. Prior to the Australia T20Is, which kicks off on Tuesday (September 20), Kohli is just 207 runs away from surpassing head coach and former Indian captain Rahul Dravid in an elite list of batters.

Most international runs

Sachin Tendulkar - 34,357

Kumar Sangakkara - 28,016

Ricky Ponting - 27,483

Mahela Jayawardene - 25,957

Jacques Kallis - 25,534

Rahul Dravid - 24,208

Virat Kohli - 24,002

Brian Lara - 22,358

Sanath Jayasuriya - 21,032

Shivnarine Chanderpaul - 20,988'

If Kohli has a memorable series versus the defending champions Australia, against whom he averages an impressive 64.42, he might pip Dravid to take the sixth spot in the overall list, becoming India's second-highest run-getter as well.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/will-virat-kohli-break-sachin-tendulkars-historic-feat-ricky-ponting-shares-his-take-517856">Will Virat Kohli break Sachin Tendulkar's historic feat? Ricky Ponting shares his take</a>

Ahead of the series opener, captain Rohit also hinted at the possibility of using Kohli as an opener in the T20 WC. In&nbsp;a press conference, he said, "Virat Kohli is our third opener and he will open in some of the games. In the last match of Asia Cup, we were happy with the way he played. But KL Rahul will open the batting in the World Cup, we do not want to experiment with that position a lot,&nbsp;his performance sometimes goes quite unnoticed."

"He is a very important player for Team India. For us, I just want to make it clear, we are clear in our thought process. We do not have any confusion, we are very clear what KL Rahul brings to the table for us, he is a quality player and is very important for us. His presence at the top is very crucial for us," Hitman added.

Virat Kohli returned to international cricket during the Asia Cup after a break post the England tour. The 33-year-old announced his return in style, ending the continental tournament as the second-highest run-getter (276 runs) in five outings and ended his international century drought in India's face-off versus Afghanistan.

Virat Kohli returned to international cricket during the Asia Cup after a break post the England tour. The 33-year-old announced his return in style, ending the continental tournament as the second-highest run-getter (276 runs) in five outings and ended his international century drought in India's face-off versus Afghanistan. Kohli will now look to carry on in a similar stead and play a key role in guiding India to a title win in the upcoming T20 World Cup, to be held in Australia from October-November. Ahead of the showpiece event Down Under, India are set to host Australia in three T20Is and South Africa in three T20Is and ODIs each. Prior to the Australia T20Is, which kicks off on Tuesday (September 20), Kohli is just 207 runs away from surpassing head coach and former Indian captain Rahul Dravid in an elite list of batters. Most international runs Sachin Tendulkar - 34,357 Kumar Sangakkara - 28,016 Ricky Ponting - 27,483 Mahela Jayawardene - 25,957 Jacques Kallis - 25,534 Rahul Dravid - 24,208 Virat Kohli - 24,002 Brian Lara - 22,358 Sanath Jayasuriya - 21,032 Shivnarine Chanderpaul - 20,988' If Kohli has a memorable series versus the defending champions Australia, against whom he averages an impressive 64.42, he might pip Dravid to take the sixth spot in the overall list, becoming India's second-highest run-getter as well. ALSO READ | Will Virat Kohli break Sachin Tendulkar's historic feat? Ricky Ponting shares his take Ahead of the series opener, captain Rohit also hinted at the possibility of using Kohli as an opener in the T20 WC. In a press conference, he said, "Virat Kohli is our third opener and he will open in some of the games. In the last match of Asia Cup, we were happy with the way he played. But KL Rahul will open the batting in the World Cup, we do not want to experiment with that position a lot, his performance sometimes goes quite unnoticed." "He is a very important player for Team India. For us, I just want to make it clear, we are clear in our thought process. We do not have any confusion, we are very clear what KL Rahul brings to the table for us, he is a quality player and is very important for us. His presence at the top is very crucial for us," Hitman added.

Ind vs Aus: Virat Kohli 207 runs away from overtaking head coach Rahul Dravid in elite list

India had a terrible run in the Asia Cup 2022 edition, held in the UAE. After dominating the group stage, the Men in Blue fell flat in the Super Four round with back-to-back defeats -- at the hands of Pakistan and Sri Lanka respectively -- to bow out from the race for the final.&nbsp;

However, the Indian team management and ardent cricket fans of the country breathed a huge sigh of relief with Virat Kohli returning to form. Featuring at the highest level after a break post the England tour, the 33-year-old ended with 276 runs -- second-most in the 2022 edition -- and ended his century drought by slamming his much-awaited 71st international ton.&nbsp;

Kohli slammed a brilliant 61-ball 122 not out, striking at 200, in India's last Super Four clash where they faced Afghanistan in Dubai. Despite it being an inconsequential tie for the seven-time winners, Kohli gave plenty to cheer for the Indian fans with his memorable ton. He moved past Ricky Ponting (70) to now have second-most centuries in international cricket, after Sachin Tendulkar (100).&nbsp;

While he still far away from surpassing Tendulkar's tally, former Aussie skipper and two-time ODI World Cup-winning captain Ponting isn't ruling out Kohli's chances of breaking the Master Blaster's sensational record."

If you would have asked me three years ago, I’d have said yes. But the fact that it has slowed down as much as it did yeah, I still think that it is possible for him, there’s no doubt," the legendary Australian said in the latest episode of ICC Review Show.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-kohli-rahul-didnt-hit-the-ground-running-ex-pakistan-cricketer-on-indias-asia-cup-debacle-517825">'Rohit, Kohli &amp; Rahul didn't hit the ground running': Ex-Pakistan cricketer on India's Asia Cup debacle</a>&nbsp;

Ponting, however, feels that even though Kohli has time on his side, it won't be easy for him to slam 30 more centuries at the highest level. "I still think he has got a number of years ahead of him, but I guess to still be 30 international hundreds behind, that’s a lot. That’s five or six Test hundreds a year maybe for the next three or four years. If you throw a couple of one-day ones, maybe the odd T20 ones on top of it," he opined.&nbsp;

"Look, I’ll never say never with Virat because you know once he gets on a bit of a roll, you know how hungry he is and how keen for success he is. I’ll never say never that’s for sure," Punter concluded.

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India had a terrible run in the Asia Cup 2022 edition, held in the UAE. After dominating the group stage, the Men in Blue fell flat in the Super Four round with back-to-back defeats -- at the hands of Pakistan and Sri Lanka respectively -- to bow out from the race for the final.

India had a terrible run in the Asia Cup 2022 edition, held in the UAE. After dominating the group stage, the Men in Blue fell flat in the Super Four round with back-to-back defeats -- at the hands of Pakistan and Sri Lanka respectively -- to bow out from the race for the final. However, the Indian team management and ardent cricket fans of the country breathed a huge sigh of relief with Virat Kohli returning to form. Featuring at the highest level after a break post the England tour, the 33-year-old ended with 276 runs -- second-most in the 2022 edition -- and ended his century drought by slamming his much-awaited 71st international ton. Kohli slammed a brilliant 61-ball 122 not out, striking at 200, in India's last Super Four clash where they faced Afghanistan in Dubai. Despite it being an inconsequential tie for the seven-time winners, Kohli gave plenty to cheer for the Indian fans with his memorable ton. He moved past Ricky Ponting (70) to now have second-most centuries in international cricket, after Sachin Tendulkar (100). While he still far away from surpassing Tendulkar's tally, former Aussie skipper and two-time ODI World Cup-winning captain Ponting isn't ruling out Kohli's chances of breaking the Master Blaster's sensational record." If you would have asked me three years ago, I’d have said yes. But the fact that it has slowed down as much as it did yeah, I still think that it is possible for him, there’s no doubt," the legendary Australian said in the latest episode of ICC Review Show. ALSO READ | 'Rohit, Kohli & Rahul didn't hit the ground running': Ex-Pakistan cricketer on India's Asia Cup debacle Ponting, however, feels that even though Kohli has time on his side, it won't be easy for him to slam 30 more centuries at the highest level. "I still think he has got a number of years ahead of him, but I guess to still be 30 international hundreds behind, that’s a lot. That’s five or six Test hundreds a year maybe for the next three or four years. If you throw a couple of one-day ones, maybe the odd T20 ones on top of it," he opined. "Look, I’ll never say never with Virat because you know once he gets on a bit of a roll, you know how hungry he is and how keen for success he is. I’ll never say never that’s for sure," Punter concluded. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Will Virat Kohli break Sachin Tendulkar's historic feat? Ricky Ponting shares his take

KL Rahul addressed the media ahead of India's three-match T20I series opener versus Australia at Mohali, on Tuesday (September 20). Rahul returned to international cricket in mid-August, having last played at the highest level in February, and led a second-stringed Indian team in a short tour of Zimbabwe before featuring in India's dismal Asia Cup campaign, in the UAE.

Rahul, however, failed to shine and returned with only 132 runs -- including a best of 62 versus Afghanistan -- and was once again under the scanner for his strike rate in the tournament (122.22). In the recent past, the right-hander has been criticised for his strike rate in the shortest format of the game which many believe puts pressure on the other batters. In this regard, Rahul defended his approach and said that every batter is fulfilling the role given to them.

"Look, obviously something that every player wants to work on. No one is perfect, everybody is working towards something, obviously strike rates are taken on an overall basis. You never see when a batter has played at a certain strike rate, whether it was important to play for him to play at a 200 strike rate or whether the team could still have won with him playing at 120-130. These are the things that no one analyses," KL Rahul told reporters on the eve of the T20I series opener versus Aaron Finch &amp; Co.

"Yes, it is something that I am working at, the roles that have been defined for each player in the last 10-12 months have been very clear, and everyone is working towards it. And, I am just working towards how I can better myself as an opening batter and how I can have an impact on my team whenever I go out to bat," Rahul asserted.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/only-monster-should-be-indian-cricket-gautam-gambhir-urges-countrymen-to-get-past-hero-worship-culture-517741">'Only monster should be Indian cricket': Gautam Gambhir urges countrymen to get past hero-worship culture</a>

The Indian vice-captain also lauded skipper Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid&nbsp;for creating a secure environment where players are not scared to fail.

"There can be criticism about many things. But the most important thing for a player is what his captain, coach, and teammates think of him in the dressing room. Only we know what role is expected of each player. Everyone is trying to give their best, but not everyone can succeed in each game. It is the kind of environment we have created where players are not scared to commit mistakes or fail," the 30-year-old Rahul added.

KL Rahul addressed the media ahead of India's three-match T20I series opener versus Australia at Mohali, on Tuesday (September 20). Rahul returned to international cricket in mid-August, having last played at the highest level in February, and led a second-stringed Indian team in a short tour of Zimbabwe before featuring in India's dismal Asia Cup campaign, in the UAE.

KL Rahul addressed the media ahead of India's three-match T20I series opener versus Australia at Mohali, on Tuesday (September 20). Rahul returned to international cricket in mid-August, having last played at the highest level in February, and led a second-stringed Indian team in a short tour of Zimbabwe before featuring in India's dismal Asia Cup campaign, in the UAE. Rahul, however, failed to shine and returned with only 132 runs -- including a best of 62 versus Afghanistan -- and was once again under the scanner for his strike rate in the tournament (122.22). In the recent past, the right-hander has been criticised for his strike rate in the shortest format of the game which many believe puts pressure on the other batters. In this regard, Rahul defended his approach and said that every batter is fulfilling the role given to them. "Look, obviously something that every player wants to work on. No one is perfect, everybody is working towards something, obviously strike rates are taken on an overall basis. You never see when a batter has played at a certain strike rate, whether it was important to play for him to play at a 200 strike rate or whether the team could still have won with him playing at 120-130. These are the things that no one analyses," KL Rahul told reporters on the eve of the T20I series opener versus Aaron Finch & Co. "Yes, it is something that I am working at, the roles that have been defined for each player in the last 10-12 months have been very clear, and everyone is working towards it. And, I am just working towards how I can better myself as an opening batter and how I can have an impact on my team whenever I go out to bat," Rahul asserted. ALSO READ | 'Only monster should be Indian cricket': Gautam Gambhir urges countrymen to get past hero-worship culture The Indian vice-captain also lauded skipper Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid for creating a secure environment where players are not scared to fail. "There can be criticism about many things. But the most important thing for a player is what his captain, coach, and teammates think of him in the dressing room. Only we know what role is expected of each player. Everyone is trying to give their best, but not everyone can succeed in each game. It is the kind of environment we have created where players are not scared to commit mistakes or fail," the 30-year-old Rahul added.

'You never see when a batter...' - KL Rahul on his T20I strike rate before Australia series opener

Former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir, who was part of the MS Dhoni-led Indian team's victorious run in the 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup, has criticised the hero-worship culture present among Indian cricket fans. Gambhir slammed the culture and said that Indian cricket fans, media and broadcasters shouldn't create monsters in the dressing room by idolising individuals and forgetting the contributions of other players.

The 40-year-old Gambhir believes that this culture, which dates back to 1983 when India won the ODI World Cup at Lord's, has led to fans lauding stars such as Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, and Kapil Dev to such an extent that they forget or undervalue the contributions of other team members.

"Don’t create monsters in the dressing room. Only monster should be Indian cricket, not an individual," Gambhir told the Indian Express on their show Idea Exchange. "Do you think that this whole hero worship chokes the next star to come up? Nobody has grown in that shadow. It was Mahendra Singh Dhoni earlier, it is Virat Kohli now," the former southpaw&nbsp;added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/gautam-gambhir-reveals-senior-players-told-him-to-win-2011-wc-to-take-conversation-away-from-1983-517727">Gautam Gambhir reveals senior players told him to win 2011 WC to 'take conversation away from 1983'</a>

Backing his claims, Gambhir gave an example of the India-Afghanistan Asia Cup clash, which was headlined by Kohli by virtue of his 71st international century. He believes Kohli took all the limelight due to the hero-worship culture and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (who returned with 5 for 4)'s contributions got completely neglected. "When Kohli got a 100 and there was this young guy from a small town of Meerut (Bhuvneshwar Kumar), who also managed to get five wickets, no one even bothered to speak about him. This was so unfortunate. I was the only one, during that commentary stint, who said that. He bowled four overs and got five wickets and I don’t think anyone knows about that. But Kohli scores a 100 and there are celebrations everywhere in this country. India needs to come out of this hero worship. Whether it’s Indian cricket, whether it’s politics, whether it’s Delhi cricket. We have to stop worshipping heroes. The only thing that we need to worship is Indian cricket, or for that matter Delhi or India," Gambhir explained.

The former Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) skipper Gambir further asserted, "Who created that? It is created by two things. First, by social media followers, which is probably the fakest thing in this country because you are judged by how many followers you have. That is what creates a brand."

"Second, by the media and the broadcasters. If you keep talking about one person day in and day out, it eventually becomes a brand. That is how it was in 1983. Why start from Dhoni? It started in 1983. When India won the first World Cup, it was all about Kapil Dev. When we won in 2007 and 2011, it was Dhoni. Who created that? None of the players did. Nor did the BCCI. Have the news channels and broadcasters ever spoken about Indian cricket? Have we ever spoken that Indian cricket needs to flourish? There are more than two or three people who are stakeholders of Indian cricket. They don’t rule Indian cricket, they should not be ruling Indian cricket. Indian cricket should be ruled by the 15 people sitting in that dressing room. Everyone has a contribution to make … … I’ve never been able to follow anyone in my life. And that has been my biggest problem. The media and the broadcasters create a brand, no one else creates a brand," added Gambhir.

Former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir, who was part of the MS Dhoni-led Indian team's victorious run in the 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup, has criticised the hero-worship culture present among Indian cricket fans.

Former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir, who was part of the MS Dhoni-led Indian team's victorious run in the 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup, has criticised the hero-worship culture present among Indian cricket fans. Gambhir slammed the culture and said that Indian cricket fans, media and broadcasters shouldn't create monsters in the dressing room by idolising individuals and forgetting the contributions of other players. The 40-year-old Gambhir believes that this culture, which dates back to 1983 when India won the ODI World Cup at Lord's, has led to fans lauding stars such as Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, and Kapil Dev to such an extent that they forget or undervalue the contributions of other team members. "Don’t create monsters in the dressing room. Only monster should be Indian cricket, not an individual," Gambhir told the Indian Express on their show Idea Exchange. "Do you think that this whole hero worship chokes the next star to come up? Nobody has grown in that shadow. It was Mahendra Singh Dhoni earlier, it is Virat Kohli now," the former southpaw added. ALSO READ | Gautam Gambhir reveals senior players told him to win 2011 WC to 'take conversation away from 1983' Backing his claims, Gambhir gave an example of the India-Afghanistan Asia Cup clash, which was headlined by Kohli by virtue of his 71st international century. He believes Kohli took all the limelight due to the hero-worship culture and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (who returned with 5 for 4)'s contributions got completely neglected. "When Kohli got a 100 and there was this young guy from a small town of Meerut (Bhuvneshwar Kumar), who also managed to get five wickets, no one even bothered to speak about him. This was so unfortunate. I was the only one, during that commentary stint, who said that. He bowled four overs and got five wickets and I don’t think anyone knows about that. But Kohli scores a 100 and there are celebrations everywhere in this country. India needs to come out of this hero worship. Whether it’s Indian cricket, whether it’s politics, whether it’s Delhi cricket. We have to stop worshipping heroes. The only thing that we need to worship is Indian cricket, or for that matter Delhi or India," Gambhir explained. The former Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) skipper Gambir further asserted, "Who created that? It is created by two things. First, by social media followers, which is probably the fakest thing in this country because you are judged by how many followers you have. That is what creates a brand." "Second, by the media and the broadcasters. If you keep talking about one person day in and day out, it eventually becomes a brand. That is how it was in 1983. Why start from Dhoni? It started in 1983. When India won the first World Cup, it was all about Kapil Dev. When we won in 2007 and 2011, it was Dhoni. Who created that? None of the players did. Nor did the BCCI. Have the news channels and broadcasters ever spoken about Indian cricket? Have we ever spoken that Indian cricket needs to flourish? There are more than two or three people who are stakeholders of Indian cricket. They don’t rule Indian cricket, they should not be ruling Indian cricket. Indian cricket should be ruled by the 15 people sitting in that dressing room. Everyone has a contribution to make … … I’ve never been able to follow anyone in my life. And that has been my biggest problem. The media and the broadcasters create a brand, no one else creates a brand," added Gambhir.

'Only monster should be Indian cricket': Gautam Gambhir urges countrymen to get past hero-worship culture

Virat Kohli returned to international cricket in the Asia Cup 2022 edition, post the England tour, and announced his comeback in style. He ended the tournament with 276 runs -- second-most overall -- including two half-centuries and a hundred. Thus, the 33-year-old ended his international century drought, since late 2019, by finally reaching his 71st ton at the highest level.

With Kohli returning to form, the Rohit Sharma-led Indian team management will breathe a sigh of relief despite their dismal run at the Asia Cup, eventually won by Sri Lanka. Going ahead into the T20 World Cup, to be held in Australia from October-November, the Indian star batter will now look to carry on in similar stead in the home series versus Australia and South Africa and go big in the forthcoming mega&nbsp;event Down Under. Prior to the T20 WC, where India will look to end their ICC-title drought, Pakistan's former pacer Shoaib Akhtar has made a bold prediction.

"Kohli might just take retirement after the T20 World Cup. He may do that to extend his longevity in the other formats. If I was him, I would have looked at the larger picture and taken a call," Akhtar said in a LIVE session hosted by&nbsp;India.com.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shouldnt-reach-stage-where-shahid-afridis-advice-for-virat-kohli-on-international-retirement-515768">'Shouldn't reach stage where....': Shahid Afridi's advice for Virat Kohli on international retirement</a>

Seeing Kohli's blitz in the continental tournament, held in the UAE, Shahid Afridi recently gave retirement advice to the former Indian captain. "The way Virat has played, the start that he had to his career, there was a struggle initially before he made a name for himself. He is a champion and I believe there comes a stage when you are headed towards retirement. But in that scenario, the aim should be to go out on a high," Afridi told Samaa TV.

"It shouldn't reach a stage where you are dropped from the team and instead when you are at your peak. It seldom happens though. Very few players, especially cricketers from Asia Cup make that decision, but I feel when Virat does it, he will do it style and probably in the same manner in which he started his career," the former Pakistan captain and all-rounder concluded.

Seeing Kohli's fitness, it is highly unlikely that he will retire post the T20 WC. But given India have plenty of young batters waiting in the wings, he might just sideline himself from the format with the ODI World Cup to be played in India in late 2023.

Virat Kohli returned to international cricket in the Asia Cup 2022 edition, post the England tour, and announced his comeback in style. He ended the tournament with 276 runs -- second-most overall -- including two half-centuries and a hundred.

Virat Kohli returned to international cricket in the Asia Cup 2022 edition, post the England tour, and announced his comeback in style. He ended the tournament with 276 runs -- second-most overall -- including two half-centuries and a hundred. Thus, the 33-year-old ended his international century drought, since late 2019, by finally reaching his 71st ton at the highest level. With Kohli returning to form, the Rohit Sharma-led Indian team management will breathe a sigh of relief despite their dismal run at the Asia Cup, eventually won by Sri Lanka. Going ahead into the T20 World Cup, to be held in Australia from October-November, the Indian star batter will now look to carry on in similar stead in the home series versus Australia and South Africa and go big in the forthcoming mega event Down Under. Prior to the T20 WC, where India will look to end their ICC-title drought, Pakistan's former pacer Shoaib Akhtar has made a bold prediction. "Kohli might just take retirement after the T20 World Cup. He may do that to extend his longevity in the other formats. If I was him, I would have looked at the larger picture and taken a call," Akhtar said in a LIVE session hosted by India.com. ALSO READ | 'Shouldn't reach stage where....': Shahid Afridi's advice for Virat Kohli on international retirement Seeing Kohli's blitz in the continental tournament, held in the UAE, Shahid Afridi recently gave retirement advice to the former Indian captain. "The way Virat has played, the start that he had to his career, there was a struggle initially before he made a name for himself. He is a champion and I believe there comes a stage when you are headed towards retirement. But in that scenario, the aim should be to go out on a high," Afridi told Samaa TV. "It shouldn't reach a stage where you are dropped from the team and instead when you are at your peak. It seldom happens though. Very few players, especially cricketers from Asia Cup make that decision, but I feel when Virat does it, he will do it style and probably in the same manner in which he started his career," the former Pakistan captain and all-rounder concluded. Seeing Kohli's fitness, it is highly unlikely that he will retire post the T20 WC. But given India have plenty of young batters waiting in the wings, he might just sideline himself from the format with the ODI World Cup to be played in India in late 2023.

Virat Kohli might just take retirement from shortest format after T20 World Cup, predicts Shoaib Akhtar

In a major development, the Supreme Court allowed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to amend its constitution, allowing both Sourav Ganguly and Jay Shah to continue as the President and Secretary, respectively. The former Indian captain took over as the BCCI chief in late 2019 along with Shah and are now set to extend their respective roles.&nbsp;

SC stated that the cooling-off period for office bearers will commence after two successive&nbsp;terms at either the BCCI or at the state association level. Thus, the office bearers can now have a maximum of 12 years at a stretch. This primarily means that they can have two three-year terms at the state association level and two three-year terms at the BCCI following which&nbsp;the cooling-off period will be applicable to them.

As per a report in the Indian Express, Shah is now the frontrunner to succeed Ganguly as the BCCI President. He has as many as 15 state associations backing him for the top post as they credit him for IPL being conducted in the Covid-era.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sourav-ganguly-jay-shah-set-for-extension-as-sc-accepts-bccis-proposal-to-amend-cooling-off-period-516134">Sourav Ganguly, Jay Shah to continue on BCCI top posts as SC amends cooling-off provision</a>

“It’s high time Shah takes charge of the Indian board, and all associations are ready to back him,” a key member of a state association stated.&nbsp;Moreover, as per a report in NDTV, Ganguly is gearing up to contest for the ICC Chairman's post with&nbsp;the tenure of Greg Barkley coming to an end later this year.&nbsp;

If Ganguly -- who led India to the 2003 ODI World Cup final in South Africa -- wins and claims the top post, he will become only the fifth Indian to do so. So far, the likes of&nbsp;Shashank Manohar, N Srinivasan, Jagmohan Dalmiya and Sharad Pawar have served as ICC Chairman. If the Bengal Tiger gets the post, he will add another feather to his illustrious career.

In a major development, the Supreme Court allowed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to amend its constitution, allowing both Sourav Ganguly and Jay Shah to continue as the President and Secretary, respectively.

In a major development, the Supreme Court allowed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to amend its constitution, allowing both Sourav Ganguly and Jay Shah to continue as the President and Secretary, respectively. The former Indian captain took over as the BCCI chief in late 2019 along with Shah and are now set to extend their respective roles. SC stated that the cooling-off period for office bearers will commence after two successive terms at either the BCCI or at the state association level. Thus, the office bearers can now have a maximum of 12 years at a stretch. This primarily means that they can have two three-year terms at the state association level and two three-year terms at the BCCI following which the cooling-off period will be applicable to them. As per a report in the Indian Express, Shah is now the frontrunner to succeed Ganguly as the BCCI President. He has as many as 15 state associations backing him for the top post as they credit him for IPL being conducted in the Covid-era. ALSO READ | Sourav Ganguly, Jay Shah to continue on BCCI top posts as SC amends cooling-off provision “It’s high time Shah takes charge of the Indian board, and all associations are ready to back him,” a key member of a state association stated. Moreover, as per a report in NDTV, Ganguly is gearing up to contest for the ICC Chairman's post with the tenure of Greg Barkley coming to an end later this year. If Ganguly -- who led India to the 2003 ODI World Cup final in South Africa -- wins and claims the top post, he will become only the fifth Indian to do so. So far, the likes of Shashank Manohar, N Srinivasan, Jagmohan Dalmiya and Sharad Pawar have served as ICC Chairman. If the Bengal Tiger gets the post, he will add another feather to his illustrious career.

Jay Shah likely to take over as BCCI chief, Sourav Ganguly to compete for ICC Chairman's post: Reports

Team India is now gearing up for the T20 World Cup 2022 edition, set to be held in Australia from October-November. The main squad, comprising 15 players, were announced on Monday evening (September 16) and the ardent Indian cricket fans are backing Rohit Sharma-led India to return with the trophy this time around.

India haven't won an ICC title since 2013 and in the last edition of the T20 WC, held last year in the UAE, saw the Virat Kohli-led Men in Blue bow out of the marquee tournament in the Super 12 round. India's main concern has been the struggle to finalise a settled XI, causing their downfall in recent multi-nation tournaments (including the Asia Cup). However, Little Master Sunil Gavaskar has backed India to win the trophy if luck favours them.

"I believe that this team, with a bit of luck that every team needs, can bring home the trophy," Gavaskar told The Indian Express. "Once the team is selected, then it’s our India team and we all have to back it. We shouldn’t question selections and omissions as it can demoralise some of the players," the batting great added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-might-just-take-retirement-from-shortest-format-after-t20-world-cup-predicts-shoaib-akhtar-516340">Virat Kohli might just take retirement from shortest format after T20 World Cup, predicts Shoaib Akhtar</a>

India, after a dismal Asia Cup campaign, will now host Australia and South Africa in white-ball assignments at home before boarding the flight to Australia. Thus, they will use their remaining T20I fixtures to find a balanced XI and then go all-out in the showpiece event Down Under. They are placed in Pool B with Pakistan, Bangladesh and South Africa with two more teams joining from the qualifiers.

India's final 15-man squad for T20 World Cup 2022:

Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul (VC), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dinesh Karthik (WK), Hardik Pandya, R&nbsp;Ashwin, Yuzvendra&nbsp;Chahal, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh

Standby players -&nbsp;Mohammed&nbsp;Shami, Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, Deepak Chahar

Team India is now gearing up for the T20 World Cup 2022 edition, set to be held in Australia from October-November. The main squad, comprising 15 players, were announced on Monday evening (September 16) and the ardent Indian cricket fans are backing Rohit Sharma-led India to return with the trophy this time around.

Team India is now gearing up for the T20 World Cup 2022 edition, set to be held in Australia from October-November. The main squad, comprising 15 players, were announced on Monday evening (September 16) and the ardent Indian cricket fans are backing Rohit Sharma-led India to return with the trophy this time around. India haven't won an ICC title since 2013 and in the last edition of the T20 WC, held last year in the UAE, saw the Virat Kohli-led Men in Blue bow out of the marquee tournament in the Super 12 round. India's main concern has been the struggle to finalise a settled XI, causing their downfall in recent multi-nation tournaments (including the Asia Cup). However, Little Master Sunil Gavaskar has backed India to win the trophy if luck favours them. "I believe that this team, with a bit of luck that every team needs, can bring home the trophy," Gavaskar told The Indian Express. "Once the team is selected, then it’s our India team and we all have to back it. We shouldn’t question selections and omissions as it can demoralise some of the players," the batting great added. ALSO READ | Virat Kohli might just take retirement from shortest format after T20 World Cup, predicts Shoaib Akhtar India, after a dismal Asia Cup campaign, will now host Australia and South Africa in white-ball assignments at home before boarding the flight to Australia. Thus, they will use their remaining T20I fixtures to find a balanced XI and then go all-out in the showpiece event Down Under. They are placed in Pool B with Pakistan, Bangladesh and South Africa with two more teams joining from the qualifiers. India's final 15-man squad for T20 World Cup 2022: Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul (VC), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dinesh Karthik (WK), Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh Standby players - Mohammed Shami, Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, Deepak Chahar

'With bit of...' - Sunil Gavaskar mentions the factor which can help India win T20 World Cup

BCCI named India's 15-man squad, along with a 4-man reserve list, for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022 edition, to be held in Australia from October-November. The Rohit Sharma-led Indian squad saw the return of Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel as the two pacers recovered from their respective injuries and made the final cut.

In the reserve&nbsp;list, the likes of Md Shami, Ravi Bishnoi, Deepak Chahar and Shreyas Iyer were roped in. The main squad primarily features the players who featured in the Asia Cup -- where India failed to make it to the final -- and, thus, many former cricketers and experts of the game have shared their take on India's line-up.

Aakash Chopra, former Indian opener-turned-commentator-cum-expert, also joined the bandwagon and feels Yuzvendra Chahal is the only 'legit wicket-taking option'.

"You have picked three spinners - an offspinner, a legspinner and a left-arm spinner. So you have picked different-different options but Yuzi Chahal is the only legit wicket-taking option in T20 cricket," Chopra said in a video on his YouTube channel.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/indias-campaign-will-be-the-same-as-it-was-at-asia-cup-danish-kaneria-warns-rohit-sharma-co-515972">India's campaign will be the same as it was at Asia Cup: Danish Kaneria warns Rohit Sharma &amp; Co.</a>

Chopra further opined, "The others are defensive options - make no mistake, that is the truth. You can see the numbers for the last 12 months, IPL included for both of them - Axar and Ravichandran Ashwin. Being disappointed with Bishnoi's omission from&nbsp;the main squad, he stated, "Ravi Bishnoi was a tempting option available to you. You are not thinking about Kuldeep at all, which is slightly disappointing, but he could also have been a wicket-taking option. But you didn't think about either of them."

"It will be very interesting whether you will be able to play two out of the three spinners in the XI. Will you be able to play either Axar or Ravi (Ashwin) along with Yuzi Chahal - that’s going to be a big one," Chopra added.

India's final 15-man squad for T20 World Cup 2022:

Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul (VC), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dinesh Karthik (WK), Hardik Pandya, R&nbsp;Ashwin, Yuzvendra&nbsp;Chahal, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh

Standby players -&nbsp;Mohammed&nbsp;Shami, Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, Deepak Chahar

BCCI named India's 15-man squad, along with a 4-man reserve list, for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022 edition, to be held in Australia from October-November. The Rohit Sharma-led Indian squad saw the return of Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel as the two pacers recovered from their respective injuries and made the final cut.

BCCI named India's 15-man squad, along with a 4-man reserve list, for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022 edition, to be held in Australia from October-November. The Rohit Sharma-led Indian squad saw the return of Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel as the two pacers recovered from their respective injuries and made the final cut. In the reserve list, the likes of Md Shami, Ravi Bishnoi, Deepak Chahar and Shreyas Iyer were roped in. The main squad primarily features the players who featured in the Asia Cup -- where India failed to make it to the final -- and, thus, many former cricketers and experts of the game have shared their take on India's line-up. Aakash Chopra, former Indian opener-turned-commentator-cum-expert, also joined the bandwagon and feels Yuzvendra Chahal is the only 'legit wicket-taking option'. "You have picked three spinners - an offspinner, a legspinner and a left-arm spinner. So you have picked different-different options but Yuzi Chahal is the only legit wicket-taking option in T20 cricket," Chopra said in a video on his YouTube channel. ALSO READ | India's campaign will be the same as it was at Asia Cup: Danish Kaneria warns Rohit Sharma & Co. Chopra further opined, "The others are defensive options - make no mistake, that is the truth. You can see the numbers for the last 12 months, IPL included for both of them - Axar and Ravichandran Ashwin. Being disappointed with Bishnoi's omission from the main squad, he stated, "Ravi Bishnoi was a tempting option available to you. You are not thinking about Kuldeep at all, which is slightly disappointing, but he could also have been a wicket-taking option. But you didn't think about either of them." "It will be very interesting whether you will be able to play two out of the three spinners in the XI. Will you be able to play either Axar or Ravi (Ashwin) along with Yuzi Chahal - that’s going to be a big one," Chopra added. India's final 15-man squad for T20 World Cup 2022: Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul (VC), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dinesh Karthik (WK), Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh Standby players - Mohammed Shami, Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, Deepak Chahar

Chahal is the only legit wicket-taking option, feels Aakash Chopra as he analyses India's T20 WC squad

BCCI announced India's 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup on Monday evening (September 12). The squad was very much the same which took part in the recently-concluded Asia Cup 2022 edition, where the Rohit Sharma-led Men in Blue failed to play the final.

Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel returned to the main squad, after recovering from injuries, and were drafted in the main squad whereas Md Shami, Deepak Chahar, Ravi Bishnoi and Shreyas Iyer were named in the reserves. Despite a settled squad at India's disposal, former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria has made a bold claim. Kaneria, who followed the Asia Cup closely, feels while Virat Kohli has regained form, captain Rohit and his deputy KL Rahul need to score big else India's campaign can go downhill, just like the continental tournament.

"While Virat Kohli has returned to form, the likes of Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul must score big runs. Otherwise, their campaign will be the same as it was at the Asia Cup," Kaneria said on his YouTube channel.

<section>
ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/we-can-always-crib-about-but-sunil-gavaskar-reacts-as-bcci-names-indias-final-squad-for-t20-world-cup-515677">'We can always crib but...: Sunil Gavaskar reacts as BCCI names India's final squad for T20 World Cup</a>

He further analysed India's World Cup squad and said, "India could have kept Umran Malik as one of the standby players as the Indian batters would have got to practice against a bowler who can consistently bowl quick."

India's final 15-man squad for T20 World Cup 2022:

Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul (VC), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dinesh Karthik (WK), Hardik Pandya, R&nbsp;Ashwin, Yuzvendra&nbsp;Chahal, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh

Standby players -&nbsp;Mohammed&nbsp;Shami, Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, Deepak Chahar
</section>

BCCI announced India's 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup on Monday evening (September 12). The squad was very much the same which took part in the recently-concluded Asia Cup 2022 edition, where the Rohit Sharma-led Men in Blue failed to play the final.

BCCI announced India's 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup on Monday evening (September 12). The squad was very much the same which took part in the recently-concluded Asia Cup 2022 edition, where the Rohit Sharma-led Men in Blue failed to play the final. Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel returned to the main squad, after recovering from injuries, and were drafted in the main squad whereas Md Shami, Deepak Chahar, Ravi Bishnoi and Shreyas Iyer were named in the reserves. Despite a settled squad at India's disposal, former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria has made a bold claim. Kaneria, who followed the Asia Cup closely, feels while Virat Kohli has regained form, captain Rohit and his deputy KL Rahul need to score big else India's campaign can go downhill, just like the continental tournament. "While Virat Kohli has returned to form, the likes of Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul must score big runs. Otherwise, their campaign will be the same as it was at the Asia Cup," Kaneria said on his YouTube channel. ALSO READ | 'We can always crib but...: Sunil Gavaskar reacts as BCCI names India's final squad for T20 World Cup He further analysed India's World Cup squad and said, "India could have kept Umran Malik as one of the standby players as the Indian batters would have got to practice against a bowler who can consistently bowl quick." India's final 15-man squad for T20 World Cup 2022: Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul (VC), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dinesh Karthik (WK), Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh Standby players - Mohammed Shami, Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, Deepak Chahar

India's campaign will be the same as it was at Asia Cup: Danish Kaneria warns Rohit Sharma & Co.

From Virat Kohli to Yuvraj Singh: Indian cricketers who rule social media

After BCCI announced India's 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup, former Indian opener Wasim Jaffer has shared an interesting suggestion for Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. The ex-Indian batter has suggested Rohit to take an MS Dhoni-like gamble in the forthcoming showpiece event, to be held in Australia from October-November.

Jaffer wants Rohit to promote Rishabh Pant up the order and use him as an opener with vice-captain KL Rahul. Given Pant can play the big shots at will, he can utilise the powerplay overs and take the pressure off Rahul, who is generally criticised for his strike rate. Nonetheless, Rohit's demotion at No. 4 can be a big gamble -- despite the fact that he used to bat at that position early in his career -- but Jaffer feels it can be the right way forward.

Jaffer tweeted saying, "I still think opening the inns is where we could see the best of Pant in T20. Provided Rohit is ok to bat @ 4. MS took a punt on Rohit before CT in 2013, and the rest is history. Time for Rohit to take a punt on Pant. KL, Pant, VK, Rohit, Sky would be my top five. #INDvAUS #T20WC."

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I still think opening the inns is where we could see the best of Pant in T20. Provided Rohit is ok to bat @ 4. MS took a punt on Rohit before CT in 2013, and the rest is history. Time for Rohit to take a punt on Pant. KL, Pant, VK, Rohit, Sky would be my top five. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvAUS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvAUS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/T20WC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#T20WC</a>
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) <a href="https://twitter.com/WasimJaffer14/status/1569679815149764608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 13, 2022</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-can-be-a-great-finisher-in-t20-wc-ex-cricketer-expects-star-player-to-do-the-tough-job-for-india-516116">'He can be a great finisher in T20 WC' - Ex-cricketer expects star player to do the tough job for India</a>

It is to be noted that former captain Dhoni had taken a punt on Rohit by promoting him as an opener right before the 2013 Champions Trophy in England and Wales, which remains the last ICC tournament won by India. However, Rohit had opened in the 2009 T20 World Cup as well and even started 2013 at the top before being promoted as Shikhar Dhawan's partner come the CT'13.

Will Rohit-Rahul Dravid-led team management shuffle the batting order in their remaining T20Is in the run-up to the Wordl Cup? Only time will tell...

After BCCI announced India's 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup, former Indian opener Wasim Jaffer has shared an interesting suggestion for Rohit Sharma & Co. The ex-Indian batter has suggested Rohit to take an MS Dhoni-like gamble in the forthcoming showpiece event, to be held in Australia from October-November.

After BCCI announced India's 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup, former Indian opener Wasim Jaffer has shared an interesting suggestion for Rohit Sharma & Co. The ex-Indian batter has suggested Rohit to take an MS Dhoni-like gamble in the forthcoming showpiece event, to be held in Australia from October-November. Jaffer wants Rohit to promote Rishabh Pant up the order and use him as an opener with vice-captain KL Rahul. Given Pant can play the big shots at will, he can utilise the powerplay overs and take the pressure off Rahul, who is generally criticised for his strike rate. Nonetheless, Rohit's demotion at No. 4 can be a big gamble -- despite the fact that he used to bat at that position early in his career -- but Jaffer feels it can be the right way forward. Jaffer tweeted saying, "I still think opening the inns is where we could see the best of Pant in T20. Provided Rohit is ok to bat @ 4. MS took a punt on Rohit before CT in 2013, and the rest is history. Time for Rohit to take a punt on Pant. KL, Pant, VK, Rohit, Sky would be my top five. #INDvAUS #T20WC." I still think opening the inns is where we could see the best of Pant in T20. Provided Rohit is ok to bat @ 4. MS took a punt on Rohit before CT in 2013, and the rest is history. Time for Rohit to take a punt on Pant. KL, Pant, VK, Rohit, Sky would be my top five. #INDvAUS #T20WC — Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) September 13, 2022 × ALSO READ | 'He can be a great finisher in T20 WC' - Ex-cricketer expects star player to do the tough job for India It is to be noted that former captain Dhoni had taken a punt on Rohit by promoting him as an opener right before the 2013 Champions Trophy in England and Wales, which remains the last ICC tournament won by India. However, Rohit had opened in the 2009 T20 World Cup as well and even started 2013 at the top before being promoted as Shikhar Dhawan's partner come the CT'13. Will Rohit-Rahul Dravid-led team management shuffle the batting order in their remaining T20Is in the run-up to the Wordl Cup? Only time will tell...

Wasim Jaffer makes interesting suggestion, wants Rohit Sharma to take MS Dhoni-like gamble in T20 WC

India and Pakistan's cricketing rivalry surely makes heads turn. In the recently-concluded Asia Cup 2022 edition, held in the UAE, both sides met&nbsp;for the first time after last year's T20 World Cup face-off and played each other twice.

In both the meetings, the match went down to the wire as both won and lost a game each. Now, India and Pakistan will square off once again in the forthcoming T20 World Cup 2022 edition, in Australia from October-November, at the iconic MCG, Melbourne. It promises to be another mouth-watering clash in the Indo-Pak rivalry on the 22-yard cricket strip.&nbsp;

On this day in 2007, India and Pakistan&nbsp;locked horns for the first time in the inaugural T20 WC, at Durban. In the day-night encounter, at Kingsmead, Durban, MS Dhoni led India for the first time ever -- after the Scotland tie was entirely abanonded after the&nbsp;toss -- and the match was a blockbuster in every sense.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/huge-feat-for-king-kohli-virat-becomes-first-cricketer-to-reach-50-million-followers-on-twitter-515656">Huge feat for KING KOHLI! Virat becomes first cricketer to reach 50 million followers on Twitter</a>

Opting to bowl first, Shoaib Malik-led Men in Green rode on Mohammad Asif's 4 for 18 and Shahid Afridi's twin strikes to restrict India to 141-9&nbsp;in 20 overs. Robin Uthappa's 50, Dhoni's 31-ball and lusty blows from Irfan Pathan-Ajit Agarkar saved India from a spot of bother after they were reeling at 36 for 4.

In reply, Misbah-ul-Haq was the lone warrior for Pakistan as his 53 took his side to 141-7 and the match went to the bowl-out. The bowl-out added much drama to the high-voltage clash which brought a lot of newness to the game. Eventually, India beat Pakistan 3-0, by hitting the stumps in their initial three attempts, to win the contest. Here's the video of the bowl-out:

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
✅ <a href="https://twitter.com/virendersehwag?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@virendersehwag</a> 
❌ <a href="https://twitter.com/YasArafat12?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@YasArafat12</a> 
✅ <a href="https://twitter.com/harbhajan_singh?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@harbhajan_singh</a> 
❌ <a href="https://twitter.com/mdk_gul?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mdk_gul</a> 
✅ <a href="https://twitter.com/robbieuthappa?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@robbieuthappa</a> 
❌ <a href="https://twitter.com/SAfridiOfficial?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SAfridiOfficial</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OnThisDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OnThisDay</a> in 2007 India v Pakistan at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WT20?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WT20</a> finished in a tie… and India won the bowl-out! <a href="https://t.co/sN2dZMyLN2">pic.twitter.com/sN2dZMyLN2</a>
— ICC (@ICC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICC/status/1040434963412406272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 14, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Indo-Pak fans will be eager to see another such blockbuster clash when the two sides lock horns in the upcoming T20 WC Down Under. The match will be held on October 23 in Melbourne and will be played infront of a jam-packed crowd at the iconic venue.&nbsp;

Rohit-led India will be determined to settle scores with Babar Azam's Pakistan after a defeat in their last T20 WC. Will the script change this time around in India's favour? Only time will tell...&nbsp;

India and Pakistan's cricketing rivalry surely makes heads turn. In the recently-concluded Asia Cup 2022 edition, held in the UAE, both sides met for the first time after last year's T20 World Cup face-off and played each other twice.

India and Pakistan's cricketing rivalry surely makes heads turn. In the recently-concluded Asia Cup 2022 edition, held in the UAE, both sides met for the first time after last year's T20 World Cup face-off and played each other twice. In both the meetings, the match went down to the wire as both won and lost a game each. Now, India and Pakistan will square off once again in the forthcoming T20 World Cup 2022 edition, in Australia from October-November, at the iconic MCG, Melbourne. It promises to be another mouth-watering clash in the Indo-Pak rivalry on the 22-yard cricket strip. On this day in 2007, India and Pakistan locked horns for the first time in the inaugural T20 WC, at Durban. In the day-night encounter, at Kingsmead, Durban, MS Dhoni led India for the first time ever -- after the Scotland tie was entirely abanonded after the toss -- and the match was a blockbuster in every sense. ALSO READ | Huge feat for KING KOHLI! Virat becomes first cricketer to reach 50 million followers on Twitter Opting to bowl first, Shoaib Malik-led Men in Green rode on Mohammad Asif's 4 for 18 and Shahid Afridi's twin strikes to restrict India to 141-9 in 20 overs. Robin Uthappa's 50, Dhoni's 31-ball and lusty blows from Irfan Pathan-Ajit Agarkar saved India from a spot of bother after they were reeling at 36 for 4. In reply, Misbah-ul-Haq was the lone warrior for Pakistan as his 53 took his side to 141-7 and the match went to the bowl-out. The bowl-out added much drama to the high-voltage clash which brought a lot of newness to the game. Eventually, India beat Pakistan 3-0, by hitting the stumps in their initial three attempts, to win the contest. Here's the video of the bowl-out: ✅ @virendersehwag ❌ @YasArafat12 ✅ @harbhajan_singh ❌ @mdk_gul ✅ @robbieuthappa ❌ @SAfridiOfficial#OnThisDay in 2007 India v Pakistan at #WT20 finished in a tie… and India won the bowl-out! pic.twitter.com/sN2dZMyLN2 — ICC (@ICC) September 14, 2018 × Indo-Pak fans will be eager to see another such blockbuster clash when the two sides lock horns in the upcoming T20 WC Down Under. The match will be held on October 23 in Melbourne and will be played infront of a jam-packed crowd at the iconic venue. Rohit-led India will be determined to settle scores with Babar Azam's Pakistan after a defeat in their last T20 WC. Will the script change this time around in India's favour? Only time will tell...

On this day, 2007: When India, Pakistan were involved in epic bowl-out clash in 2007 T20 WC - Video

Rohit Sharma is set to lead India in the forthcoming T20 World Cup 2022 edition, in Australia, from October-November. He will be desperate to get a hand on the trophy and join MS Dhoni in becoming only the second Indian captain to clinch the mega title. Before that, Rohit received huge words of praise from former Pakistan opener Salman Butt, who believes that Hitman is the only player who comes close to matching AB de Villiers' heroics with the bat. Nonetheless, when it comes to comparing&nbsp;him with Pakistani openers Babar Azam and Md Rizwan, Butt refrained from doing so.&nbsp;

Butt believes Rohit is a far more skilled player than Rizwan and Babar -- who are currently the top-two ranked T20I batters,&nbsp;respectively&nbsp;-- but would've been more destructive had his fitness levels been even half as good as Virat Kohli's.&nbsp;“Unka (Rohit) comparison nahi banta (with Babar and Rizwan). With his set of skills, Rohit ki fitness Kohli se aadhi bhi ho, toh usse zyada destructive player nahi hai. Fir uska aur sirf AB de Villiers ka match reh jaata hai, beechme koi player nahi aata. Agar woh (Rohit) bohot fit hotey Kohli ki tarah toh pata nahi woh kya kartey. (Rohit can't be compared with Babar and Rizwan. With his set of skills, Rohit would be the most destructive player if his fitness levels were half as good as Kohli's. Only AB de Villiers comes close to him)” Butt opined on his YouTube channel.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/who-is-in-who-is-out-a-look-at-changes-in-indias-squads-in-t20-word-cup-2021and-2022-515528">Who is in, who is out? A look at changes in India's squads for T20 Word Cup 2021 and 2022</a>

Rohit is easily one of the most successful openers of all time. His career's biggest turnaround came when he was promoted as an opener in early 2013. Since then, there has been no looking back for the Indian captain, who has over 16,133 runs across formats (9,376 in ODIs and 3,620 in T20Is). Nonetheless, it is his fitness levels which many believe are still not up to the mark as the veteran batter has missed plenty of away Test series in recent times. In the current Indian team, he is given breaks at regular intervals to manage his workload and also keep him away from injuries.

Kohli, on the other hand, has been the torch-bearer in bringing a huge change in Indian cricket when it comes to fitness standards. He has hardly missed international assignments due to injury concerns and has a huge fan base for inculcating the significance of fitness&nbsp;in the Team India camp, apart from his plethora of runs across formats.&nbsp;

Rohit Sharma is set to lead India in the forthcoming T20 World Cup 2022 edition, in Australia, from October-November. He will be desperate to get a hand on the trophy and join MS Dhoni in becoming only the second Indian captain to clinch the mega title.

Rohit Sharma is set to lead India in the forthcoming T20 World Cup 2022 edition, in Australia, from October-November. He will be desperate to get a hand on the trophy and join MS Dhoni in becoming only the second Indian captain to clinch the mega title. Before that, Rohit received huge words of praise from former Pakistan opener Salman Butt, who believes that Hitman is the only player who comes close to matching AB de Villiers' heroics with the bat. Nonetheless, when it comes to comparing him with Pakistani openers Babar Azam and Md Rizwan, Butt refrained from doing so. Butt believes Rohit is a far more skilled player than Rizwan and Babar -- who are currently the top-two ranked T20I batters, respectively -- but would've been more destructive had his fitness levels been even half as good as Virat Kohli's. “Unka (Rohit) comparison nahi banta (with Babar and Rizwan). With his set of skills, Rohit ki fitness Kohli se aadhi bhi ho, toh usse zyada destructive player nahi hai. Fir uska aur sirf AB de Villiers ka match reh jaata hai, beechme koi player nahi aata. Agar woh (Rohit) bohot fit hotey Kohli ki tarah toh pata nahi woh kya kartey. (Rohit can't be compared with Babar and Rizwan. With his set of skills, Rohit would be the most destructive player if his fitness levels were half as good as Kohli's. Only AB de Villiers comes close to him)” Butt opined on his YouTube channel. ALSO READ | Who is in, who is out? A look at changes in India's squads for T20 Word Cup 2021 and 2022 Rohit is easily one of the most successful openers of all time. His career's biggest turnaround came when he was promoted as an opener in early 2013. Since then, there has been no looking back for the Indian captain, who has over 16,133 runs across formats (9,376 in ODIs and 3,620 in T20Is). Nonetheless, it is his fitness levels which many believe are still not up to the mark as the veteran batter has missed plenty of away Test series in recent times. In the current Indian team, he is given breaks at regular intervals to manage his workload and also keep him away from injuries. Kohli, on the other hand, has been the torch-bearer in bringing a huge change in Indian cricket when it comes to fitness standards. He has hardly missed international assignments due to injury concerns and has a huge fan base for inculcating the significance of fitness in the Team India camp, apart from his plethora of runs across formats.

Rohit would've been most destructive player if his fitness levels were half as good as Virat's: Ex-Pak skipper

India ended their Asia Cup campaign on a disappointing note by failing to make it to the final. They were tournament-favourites prior to the multi-nation event but failed to get past the Super Four round after defeats at the hands of Pakistan and Sri Lanka, respectively. While Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. fell flat in pressure situations to bow out, the national side would be pleased seeing Virat Kohli return to form in the continental tournament, held in the UAE.

Kohli entered the multi-nation tournament with a strong of poor performances in the England tour before opting for a break in the West Indies tour, followed by skipping a second-stringed India's trip to Zimbabwe in mid-August. In the Asia Cup, the 33-year-old ended with second-most runs in the tournament, slamming 276 runs in five outings, and also ended his century drought to announce his return to form in style. His good returns will surely keep the team management in good stead ahead of the T20 World Cup -- in Australia from October-November -- and hope for him to continue in a similar manner.

It is to be noted that Kohli's 71st international ton came when he opened the Indian innings, in Rohit's absence, during the Men in Blue's inconsequential Super Four clash versus Afghanistan in Dubai. Thus, former Indian batter Rohan Gavaskar feels the right-hander should continue to open in the shortest format.

“Look, in terms of should Virat be opening, I think it’s a great option. You look at his T20 numbers, they are outstanding. He averages about 55-57 and his strike rate is about 160. Those are phenomenal numbers. His last innings, again unbeaten innings of 122, tells you that he probably relishes opening as well,” Gavaskar said while interacting&nbsp;with Sports18.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shouldnt-reach-stage-where-shahid-afridis-advice-for-virat-kohli-on-international-retirement-515768">'Shouldn't reach stage where....': Shahid Afridi's advice for Virat Kohli on international retirement</a>

"If memory serves me right, he wanted to open or he said he wanted to open in the Indian T20 league in this edition or the last edition, he said that’s the spot I want to be. So, it’s obviously something that he wants to do. So, it’s definitely a big option for the Indian team,” the former left-handed batsman added.

It will be interesting to see if Rohit-Rahul Dravid-led Indian team will opt to change the opening pair and promote Kohli up the order. Incase that happens, it will be intriguing to see where they slot white-ball vice-captain KL Rahul going ahead in the shortest format of the game.

India ended their Asia Cup campaign on a disappointing note by failing to make it to the final. They were tournament-favourites prior to the multi-nation event but failed to get past the Super Four round after defeats at the hands of Pakistan and Sri Lanka, respectively.

India ended their Asia Cup campaign on a disappointing note by failing to make it to the final. They were tournament-favourites prior to the multi-nation event but failed to get past the Super Four round after defeats at the hands of Pakistan and Sri Lanka, respectively. While Rohit Sharma & Co. fell flat in pressure situations to bow out, the national side would be pleased seeing Virat Kohli return to form in the continental tournament, held in the UAE. Kohli entered the multi-nation tournament with a strong of poor performances in the England tour before opting for a break in the West Indies tour, followed by skipping a second-stringed India's trip to Zimbabwe in mid-August. In the Asia Cup, the 33-year-old ended with second-most runs in the tournament, slamming 276 runs in five outings, and also ended his century drought to announce his return to form in style. His good returns will surely keep the team management in good stead ahead of the T20 World Cup -- in Australia from October-November -- and hope for him to continue in a similar manner. It is to be noted that Kohli's 71st international ton came when he opened the Indian innings, in Rohit's absence, during the Men in Blue's inconsequential Super Four clash versus Afghanistan in Dubai. Thus, former Indian batter Rohan Gavaskar feels the right-hander should continue to open in the shortest format. “Look, in terms of should Virat be opening, I think it’s a great option. You look at his T20 numbers, they are outstanding. He averages about 55-57 and his strike rate is about 160. Those are phenomenal numbers. His last innings, again unbeaten innings of 122, tells you that he probably relishes opening as well,” Gavaskar said while interacting with Sports18. ALSO READ | 'Shouldn't reach stage where....': Shahid Afridi's advice for Virat Kohli on international retirement "If memory serves me right, he wanted to open or he said he wanted to open in the Indian T20 league in this edition or the last edition, he said that’s the spot I want to be. So, it’s obviously something that he wants to do. So, it’s definitely a big option for the Indian team,” the former left-handed batsman added. It will be interesting to see if Rohit-Rahul Dravid-led Indian team will opt to change the opening pair and promote Kohli up the order. Incase that happens, it will be intriguing to see where they slot white-ball vice-captain KL Rahul going ahead in the shortest format of the game.

'A big option for Team India' - Rohan Gavaskar shares Virat Kohli's ideal batting spot ahead of T20 World Cup

Virat Kohli made a remarkable comeback in international cricket during the Asia Cup 2022 edition, after his break post the England tour, to return with scores of 35 (34), 59* (44), 60 (44), 0 (4) and 122* (61). Despite India's campaign ending on a disappointing note, Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. will be breathing a sigh of relief that their star batter Kohli has regained form heading into the T20 World Cup 2022 edition, to be held in Australia from October-November.&nbsp;

As Kohli ended his international century drought during the continental tournament, eventually won by Sri Lanka, by finally slamming his&nbsp;71st ton at the highest level during India's consolation win over Afghanistan, he has put an end to all talks regarding his&nbsp;form concerns. Thus, he will now step into India's last few white-ball matches, in the run-up to the T20 WC, with a free mind and look to carry his form in the upcoming ICC tournament to help India win the coveted trophy Down Under.

Ahead of India's next few assignments, at home, and the T20 WC, former Pakistan captain-cum-all-rounder Shahid Afridi lavished huge praise on Kohli and also shared retirement advice for the ex-Indian captain.&nbsp;"The way Virat has played, the start that he had to his career, there was struggle initially before he made a name for himself. He is a champion and I believe there comes a stage when you are headed towards retirement. But in that scenario, the aim should be to go out on a high," Afridi told Samaa TV.

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/huge-feat-for-king-kohli-virat-becomes-first-cricketer-to-reach-50-million-followers-on-twitter-515656">Huge feat for KING KOHLI! Virat becomes first cricketer to reach 50 million followers on Twitter</a>

"It shouldn't reach a stage where you are dropped from the team and instead when you are at your peak. It seldom happens though. Very few players, especially cricketers from Asia Cup make that decision, but I feel when Virat does it, he will do it style and probably in the same manner in which he started his career," he concluded.

The 33-year-old Kohli will be desperate to add a T20 WC trophy to his cabinet, having already won the 2011 ODI World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy with the national side. While he surely has a lot of cricket left in him before even thinking of retirement, the veteran will also take a leaf from Afridi and aim to sign off on a high.

In 468 internationals, Kohli has amassed 8,074, 12,344 and 3,584 runs in Tests, ODIs and T20Is, respectively, and is already a legend of the gentlemen's game.

Virat Kohli made a remarkable comeback in international cricket during the Asia Cup 2022 edition, after his break post the England tour, to return with scores of 35 (34), 59* (44), 60 (44), 0 (4) and 122* (61).

Virat Kohli made a remarkable comeback in international cricket during the Asia Cup 2022 edition, after his break post the England tour, to return with scores of 35 (34), 59* (44), 60 (44), 0 (4) and 122* (61). Despite India's campaign ending on a disappointing note, Rohit Sharma & Co. will be breathing a sigh of relief that their star batter Kohli has regained form heading into the T20 World Cup 2022 edition, to be held in Australia from October-November. As Kohli ended his international century drought during the continental tournament, eventually won by Sri Lanka, by finally slamming his 71st ton at the highest level during India's consolation win over Afghanistan, he has put an end to all talks regarding his form concerns. Thus, he will now step into India's last few white-ball matches, in the run-up to the T20 WC, with a free mind and look to carry his form in the upcoming ICC tournament to help India win the coveted trophy Down Under. Ahead of India's next few assignments, at home, and the T20 WC, former Pakistan captain-cum-all-rounder Shahid Afridi lavished huge praise on Kohli and also shared retirement advice for the ex-Indian captain. "The way Virat has played, the start that he had to his career, there was struggle initially before he made a name for himself. He is a champion and I believe there comes a stage when you are headed towards retirement. But in that scenario, the aim should be to go out on a high," Afridi told Samaa TV. ALSO READ | Huge feat for KING KOHLI! Virat becomes first cricketer to reach 50 million followers on Twitter "It shouldn't reach a stage where you are dropped from the team and instead when you are at your peak. It seldom happens though. Very few players, especially cricketers from Asia Cup make that decision, but I feel when Virat does it, he will do it style and probably in the same manner in which he started his career," he concluded. The 33-year-old Kohli will be desperate to add a T20 WC trophy to his cabinet, having already won the 2011 ODI World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy with the national side. While he surely has a lot of cricket left in him before even thinking of retirement, the veteran will also take a leaf from Afridi and aim to sign off on a high. In 468 internationals, Kohli has amassed 8,074, 12,344 and 3,584 runs in Tests, ODIs and T20Is, respectively, and is already a legend of the gentlemen's game.

'Shouldn't reach stage where....': Shahid Afridi's advice for Virat Kohli on international retirement

India's final squad for the T20 World Cup was announced by the BCCI selection committee on Monday (September 12). A strong team, led by Rohit Sharma, has been named as the Men in Blue ardent fans are expecting fireworks from the national side in the upcoming ICC event, to be held in Australia from October-November. The squad comprises a good mix of youth and experience whereas there are a few notable omissions.&nbsp;

While there are always varied reactions on squad selections, the former Indian opener-turned-commentator Sunil Gavaskar has advised one and all to back the Rohit-led side for the showpiece event Down Under.&nbsp;Speaking to&nbsp;India Today, Gavaskar said, "This looks a very good team. With Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel coming in, it looks like India will be able to defend their totals. India have had problems in trying to defend totals. These two stalwarts coming in will certainly give the edge to India when defending totals."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/indias-t20-wc-squad-dravid-rohit-favoured-r-ashwin-over-md-shami-during-selection-meeting-report-515661">India's T20 WC squad: Dravid-Rohit favoured R Ashwin over Md Shami during selection meeting - Report</a>

He further asserted, "Deepak Chahar is one name that stands out, but they have also retained Arshdeep Singh, who gives a left-arm option in the attack. Like I said, it's a good selection. We can always crib about this thing and that thing. But now the selection is done, this is India's team. So let's not ask why not this, why not that? We should back this team 100 per cent. Now that the selection is done, it's our team, back them 100 per cent."

In the main squad, the likes of Rohit, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya and Dinesh Karthik have been named whereas the likes of Deepak Hooda, Axar Patel and Arshdeep Singh have also made the cut. Senior bowlers R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal and Jasprit Bumrah have been added whereas Harshal Patel also found a spot. Among the reserves, India have kept more bowling options by including Md Shami, Deepak Chahar and Ravi Bishnoi whereas Shreyas Iyer is a backup batter.

India will kick off their campaign versus arch-rivals Pakistan, on October 23 at the MCG, Melbourne, as they are placed in Pool B along with the Men in Green, South Africa, Bangladesh and two more teams will join both groups from the qualifiers.

India's final 15-man squad for T20 World Cup 2022:

Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul (VC), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dinesh Karthik (WK), Hardik Pandya, R&nbsp;Ashwin, Yuzvendra&nbsp;Chahal, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh

Standby players -&nbsp;Mohammed&nbsp;Shami, Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, Deepak Chahar

India's final squad for the T20 World Cup was announced by the BCCI selection committee on Monday (September 12). A strong team, led by Rohit Sharma, has been named as the Men in Blue ardent fans are expecting fireworks from the national side in the upcoming ICC event, to be held in Australia from October-November.

India's final squad for the T20 World Cup was announced by the BCCI selection committee on Monday (September 12). A strong team, led by Rohit Sharma, has been named as the Men in Blue ardent fans are expecting fireworks from the national side in the upcoming ICC event, to be held in Australia from October-November. The squad comprises a good mix of youth and experience whereas there are a few notable omissions. While there are always varied reactions on squad selections, the former Indian opener-turned-commentator Sunil Gavaskar has advised one and all to back the Rohit-led side for the showpiece event Down Under. Speaking to India Today, Gavaskar said, "This looks a very good team. With Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel coming in, it looks like India will be able to defend their totals. India have had problems in trying to defend totals. These two stalwarts coming in will certainly give the edge to India when defending totals." ALSO READ | India's T20 WC squad: Dravid-Rohit favoured R Ashwin over Md Shami during selection meeting - Report He further asserted, "Deepak Chahar is one name that stands out, but they have also retained Arshdeep Singh, who gives a left-arm option in the attack. Like I said, it's a good selection. We can always crib about this thing and that thing. But now the selection is done, this is India's team. So let's not ask why not this, why not that? We should back this team 100 per cent. Now that the selection is done, it's our team, back them 100 per cent." In the main squad, the likes of Rohit, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya and Dinesh Karthik have been named whereas the likes of Deepak Hooda, Axar Patel and Arshdeep Singh have also made the cut. Senior bowlers R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal and Jasprit Bumrah have been added whereas Harshal Patel also found a spot. Among the reserves, India have kept more bowling options by including Md Shami, Deepak Chahar and Ravi Bishnoi whereas Shreyas Iyer is a backup batter. India will kick off their campaign versus arch-rivals Pakistan, on October 23 at the MCG, Melbourne, as they are placed in Pool B along with the Men in Green, South Africa, Bangladesh and two more teams will join both groups from the qualifiers. India's final 15-man squad for T20 World Cup 2022: Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul (VC), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dinesh Karthik (WK), Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh Standby players - Mohammed Shami, Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, Deepak Chahar

'We can always crib but...: Sunil Gavaskar reacts as BCCI names India's final squad for T20 World Cup

After much speculation, India's final squad for the forthcoming T20 World Cup was announced on Monday (September 12). The BCCI selection committee announced a strong 15-member squad with four players being named in the standby list. There wasn't much surprise in the final squad with pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel returned post injury concerns whereas Sanju Samson, Md Siraj, Ishan Kishan, etc. were the notable omissions.

Talking about the standby players, the likes of Mohammed Shami, Deepak Chahar, Shreyas Iyer and Ravi Bishnoi have made the cut. Shami hasn't played a single T20I post last year's World Cup, however, given how the pace battery fared at the Asia Cup, the Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid-led team management have included the senior pacer in the reserves. He is also part of the squads for the Australia and South Africa home T20Is. As per a report in InsideSport, there was a toss-up between Shami and R Ashwin while selecting the 15-man squad but Dravid-Rohit favoured the latter; pushing Shami's name in the reserve list.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/huge-feat-for-king-kohli-virat-becomes-first-cricketer-to-reach-50-million-followers-on-twitter-515656">Huge feat for KING KOHLI! Virat becomes first cricketer to reach 50 million followers on Twitter</a>

Shami vs Ashwin

As per report, the selection committee was torn between including one of Shami or Ashwin in the final squad but Rohit-Dravid preferred the veteran off-spinner given his vast experience of bowling in Australia and the staggering success he enjoys against left-handed batters.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mohammed-shami-deepak-chahar-make-the-cut-in-indias-t20i-squad-for-australia-south-africa-home-series-515457">Mohammed Shami, Deepak Chahar make the cut in India's T20I squad for Australia, South Africa home series</a>

“The fact remains that they have drafted Mohammed Shami as a standby for the World Cup also goes to show that maybe they still have doubts about Bumrah and Harshal’s fitness. That’s why perhaps they want to keep Shami in the loop,” former national selector Saba Karim had told while speaking to Sportstar.

Given that both Bumrah and Harshal are returning from injuries, the team management will not be keen to include them straightaway into the playing XI. Even if they do, the two bowlers can take time to get going. Thus, Shami's inclusion is justified as his importance will be significant in such a scenario. He will be eager to make a mark in the upcoming white-ball series versus the Aussies and SA, at home, before the team leaves for Australia for the T20 WC.

India Squad for Australia T20Is:&nbsp;Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya, R. Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohd. Shami, Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah.

India squad for South Africa T20Is:&nbsp;Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), R. Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Mohd. Shami, Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah.

India's final 15-man squad for T20 World Cup 2022:

Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul (VC), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dinesh Karthik (WK), Hardik Pandya, R&nbsp;Ashwin, Yuzvendra&nbsp;Chahal, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh

Standby players -&nbsp;Mohammed&nbsp;Shami, Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, Deepak Chahar

After much speculation, India's final squad for the forthcoming T20 World Cup was announced on Monday (September 12). The BCCI selection committee announced a strong 15-member squad with four players being named in the standby list.

After much speculation, India's final squad for the forthcoming T20 World Cup was announced on Monday (September 12). The BCCI selection committee announced a strong 15-member squad with four players being named in the standby list. There wasn't much surprise in the final squad with pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel returned post injury concerns whereas Sanju Samson, Md Siraj, Ishan Kishan, etc. were the notable omissions. Talking about the standby players, the likes of Mohammed Shami, Deepak Chahar, Shreyas Iyer and Ravi Bishnoi have made the cut. Shami hasn't played a single T20I post last year's World Cup, however, given how the pace battery fared at the Asia Cup, the Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid-led team management have included the senior pacer in the reserves. He is also part of the squads for the Australia and South Africa home T20Is. As per a report in InsideSport, there was a toss-up between Shami and R Ashwin while selecting the 15-man squad but Dravid-Rohit favoured the latter; pushing Shami's name in the reserve list. ALSO READ | Huge feat for KING KOHLI! Virat becomes first cricketer to reach 50 million followers on Twitter Shami vs Ashwin As per report, the selection committee was torn between including one of Shami or Ashwin in the final squad but Rohit-Dravid preferred the veteran off-spinner given his vast experience of bowling in Australia and the staggering success he enjoys against left-handed batters. ALSO READ | Mohammed Shami, Deepak Chahar make the cut in India's T20I squad for Australia, South Africa home series “The fact remains that they have drafted Mohammed Shami as a standby for the World Cup also goes to show that maybe they still have doubts about Bumrah and Harshal’s fitness. That’s why perhaps they want to keep Shami in the loop,” former national selector Saba Karim had told while speaking to Sportstar. Given that both Bumrah and Harshal are returning from injuries, the team management will not be keen to include them straightaway into the playing XI. Even if they do, the two bowlers can take time to get going. Thus, Shami's inclusion is justified as his importance will be significant in such a scenario. He will be eager to make a mark in the upcoming white-ball series versus the Aussies and SA, at home, before the team leaves for Australia for the T20 WC. India Squad for Australia T20Is: Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya, R. Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohd. Shami, Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah. India squad for South Africa T20Is: Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), R. Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Mohd. Shami, Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah. India's final 15-man squad for T20 World Cup 2022: Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul (VC), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dinesh Karthik (WK), Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh Standby players - Mohammed Shami, Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, Deepak Chahar

India's T20 WC squad: Dravid-Rohit favoured R Ashwin over Md Shami during selection meeting - Report

After a disappointing campaign in the Asia Cup 2022 edition, India will now shift their focus to the twin home series versus Australia and South Africa, respectively. India are set to host Australia in three T20Is before South Africa arrives for three T20Is and ODIs each. Prior to that, the BCCI selection committee, on Monday (September 12), announced two strong squads for Australia, SA series along with also revealing the final 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup, to be held from October-November in Australia.

Talking about the Australia series, India will host the defending champions in three T20Is starting from September 20. The matches will be held on September 20 (Mohali), September 23 (Nagpur) and September 25 (Hyderabad). For this series, pacer Arshdeep Singh -- who was heavily trolled for his dropped catch in the India-Pakistan Super 4 clash at the Asia Cup -- has been rested.&nbsp;

On the other hand, Hardik Pandya and Bhuvneshwar Kumar have been rested for the SA T20Is, which will get underway on September 28. The remaining two T20Is will be held on October 02 (Guwahati) and October 04 (Indore). After this, a Shikhar Dhawan-led Indian team is likely to face the Proteas in a three-match ODI series, from October 06, with all the T20 WC-bound players set to be rested (as per reports).&nbsp;

The biggest takeaway from the 16-man squads for the Australia and SA series is that India have recalled senior pacer Md Shami along with Deepak Chahar. Chahar was a late entry into the main squad of the Asia Cup, with Avesh Khan's illness, but Shami is set to return to the T20I squad for the first time after last year's World Cup. Along with Shami, Jasprit Burmah and Harshal Patel will be eager to return to action in style after lengthy injury layoffs.&nbsp;

With the T20I series versus Australia and SA being the last few games before India leave for Australia for the World Cup, the likes of captain Rohit Sharma, vice-captain KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Yuzvendra Chahal, Suryakumar Yadav, etc. have been included in both the squads. However, they are all expected to miss the SA ODIs.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/jasprit-bumrah-harshal-patel-return-as-india-announce-15-man-squad-for-t20-world-cup-2022-515422">Jasprit Bumrah, Harshal Patel return as India announce 15-man squad for T20 World Cup 2022</a>

India Squad for Australia T20Is:&nbsp;Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya, R. Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohd. Shami, Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah.

India squad for South Africa T20Is:&nbsp;Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), R. Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Mohd. Shami, Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah.

India's final 15-man squad for T20 World Cup 2022:

Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul (VC), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dinesh Karthik (WK), Hardik Pandya, R&nbsp;Ashwin, Yuzvendra&nbsp;Chahal, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh

Standby players -&nbsp;Mohammed&nbsp;Shami, Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, Deepak Chahar

After a disappointing campaign in the Asia Cup 2022 edition, India will now shift their focus to the twin home series versus Australia and South Africa, respectively.

After a disappointing campaign in the Asia Cup 2022 edition, India will now shift their focus to the twin home series versus Australia and South Africa, respectively. India are set to host Australia in three T20Is before South Africa arrives for three T20Is and ODIs each. Prior to that, the BCCI selection committee, on Monday (September 12), announced two strong squads for Australia, SA series along with also revealing the final 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup, to be held from October-November in Australia. Talking about the Australia series, India will host the defending champions in three T20Is starting from September 20. The matches will be held on September 20 (Mohali), September 23 (Nagpur) and September 25 (Hyderabad). For this series, pacer Arshdeep Singh -- who was heavily trolled for his dropped catch in the India-Pakistan Super 4 clash at the Asia Cup -- has been rested. On the other hand, Hardik Pandya and Bhuvneshwar Kumar have been rested for the SA T20Is, which will get underway on September 28. The remaining two T20Is will be held on October 02 (Guwahati) and October 04 (Indore). After this, a Shikhar Dhawan-led Indian team is likely to face the Proteas in a three-match ODI series, from October 06, with all the T20 WC-bound players set to be rested (as per reports). The biggest takeaway from the 16-man squads for the Australia and SA series is that India have recalled senior pacer Md Shami along with Deepak Chahar. Chahar was a late entry into the main squad of the Asia Cup, with Avesh Khan's illness, but Shami is set to return to the T20I squad for the first time after last year's World Cup. Along with Shami, Jasprit Burmah and Harshal Patel will be eager to return to action in style after lengthy injury layoffs. With the T20I series versus Australia and SA being the last few games before India leave for Australia for the World Cup, the likes of captain Rohit Sharma, vice-captain KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Yuzvendra Chahal, Suryakumar Yadav, etc. have been included in both the squads. However, they are all expected to miss the SA ODIs. ALSO READ | Jasprit Bumrah, Harshal Patel return as India announce 15-man squad for T20 World Cup 2022 India Squad for Australia T20Is: Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya, R. Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohd. Shami, Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah. India squad for South Africa T20Is: Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), R. Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Mohd. Shami, Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah. India's final 15-man squad for T20 World Cup 2022: Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul (VC), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dinesh Karthik (WK), Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh Standby players - Mohammed Shami, Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, Deepak Chahar

Mohammed Shami, Deepak Chahar make the cut in India's T20I squad for Australia, South Africa home series

Virat Kohli ended his international drought on Thursday (September 8) as India faced Afghanistan in their last Super Four clash before bowing out of the Asia Cup 2022 edition. Bing asked to bat first, a Rohit Sharma-less Indian team rode on Kohli's 122 not out (off 61 balls), who opened the innings with stand-in captain KL Rahul, to post a mammoth 212-3.

In reply, Afghanistan fell like nine pins in the run-chase by being restricted to 111/8 in 20 overs to lose by a whopping 101-run margin. Bhuvneshwar Kumar returned with 5 for 4 in his full quota of overs to stand tall but the Player-of-the-Match Kohli generated maximum eyeballs. Kohli's innings was laced with 12 fours and 6 sixes and his return to form is a huge blessing for Rohit &amp; Co. heading into the 2022 T20 World Cup, from October-November in Australia. The 33-year-old Kohli's hundred is a huge sigh of relief for many Indian cricket fans, worldwide, who have been eagerly waiting for King Kohli to move past his ordinary run of form.

As soon as Kohli smacked an impressive pull over the fence to reach triple figures, the crowd -- at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai -- were sent into a frenzy. An elderly fan's unmissable reaction, present in the stands, went viral in no time as Kohli raised his bat and acknowledged the crowd after reaching his 71st international ton. Here's the video of the elderly fan bowing down to the Indian star batter:

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Missed this <a href="https://t.co/LHjQhhQQSm">pic.twitter.com/LHjQhhQQSm</a>
— Ali (@stuckon70) <a href="https://twitter.com/stuckon70/status/1567899011109060608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2022</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/your-form-is-very-critical-rohit-sharma-tells-virat-kohli-as-duo-interact-post-latters-71st-intl-ton-514536">'Your form is very critical' - Rohit Sharma tells Virat Kohli as duo interact post latter's 71st int'l ton</a>

With his recent ton over Afghanistan, Kohli equalled with Australia's former captain Ricky Ponting in terms of second-most international tons overall. Here's the top five in the elite feat:

Sachin Tendulkar - 100

Virat Kohli - 71*

Ricky Ponting - 71

Kumar Sangakkara - 63

Jacques Kallis - 62

At the post-match presentation, a content Kohli said, "Firstly I am grateful for how the day went today. Time away from the game gave me a good chance to sit back and observe a lot of things about me. I mentioned one special person - Anushka - who stood by me through these tough times and I mentioned her as she has seen the absolute raw side of me throughout all these months. She was the one putting things in perspective for me, kept giving me the right kind of guidance, vision moving forward and I came back into the system as a relaxed person. It was just about enjoying the game, understanding the game and what God blessed you with. Today was the build-up of the last few games, I batted out of my skin to be honest and I surprised myself. What surprised me was my 60s became failures; quite shocking for me, batting pretty well and contributing but doesn't seem to be enough. I can't really pinpoint anything to anyone as I said God has blessed me with good things in the past and that's why I am in this position where these things can be spoken about."

Virat Kohli ended his international drought on Thursday (September 8) as India faced Afghanistan in their last Super Four clash before bowing out of the Asia Cup 2022 edition.

Virat Kohli ended his international drought on Thursday (September 8) as India faced Afghanistan in their last Super Four clash before bowing out of the Asia Cup 2022 edition. Bing asked to bat first, a Rohit Sharma-less Indian team rode on Kohli's 122 not out (off 61 balls), who opened the innings with stand-in captain KL Rahul, to post a mammoth 212-3. In reply, Afghanistan fell like nine pins in the run-chase by being restricted to 111/8 in 20 overs to lose by a whopping 101-run margin. Bhuvneshwar Kumar returned with 5 for 4 in his full quota of overs to stand tall but the Player-of-the-Match Kohli generated maximum eyeballs. Kohli's innings was laced with 12 fours and 6 sixes and his return to form is a huge blessing for Rohit & Co. heading into the 2022 T20 World Cup, from October-November in Australia. The 33-year-old Kohli's hundred is a huge sigh of relief for many Indian cricket fans, worldwide, who have been eagerly waiting for King Kohli to move past his ordinary run of form. As soon as Kohli smacked an impressive pull over the fence to reach triple figures, the crowd -- at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai -- were sent into a frenzy. An elderly fan's unmissable reaction, present in the stands, went viral in no time as Kohli raised his bat and acknowledged the crowd after reaching his 71st international ton. Here's the video of the elderly fan bowing down to the Indian star batter: Missed this pic.twitter.com/LHjQhhQQSm — Ali (@stuckon70) September 8, 2022 × ALSO READ | 'Your form is very critical' - Rohit Sharma tells Virat Kohli as duo interact post latter's 71st int'l ton With his recent ton over Afghanistan, Kohli equalled with Australia's former captain Ricky Ponting in terms of second-most international tons overall. Here's the top five in the elite feat: Sachin Tendulkar - 100 Virat Kohli - 71* Ricky Ponting - 71 Kumar Sangakkara - 63 Jacques Kallis - 62 At the post-match presentation, a content Kohli said, "Firstly I am grateful for how the day went today. Time away from the game gave me a good chance to sit back and observe a lot of things about me. I mentioned one special person - Anushka - who stood by me through these tough times and I mentioned her as she has seen the absolute raw side of me throughout all these months. She was the one putting things in perspective for me, kept giving me the right kind of guidance, vision moving forward and I came back into the system as a relaxed person. It was just about enjoying the game, understanding the game and what God blessed you with. Today was the build-up of the last few games, I batted out of my skin to be honest and I surprised myself. What surprised me was my 60s became failures; quite shocking for me, batting pretty well and contributing but doesn't seem to be enough. I can't really pinpoint anything to anyone as I said God has blessed me with good things in the past and that's why I am in this position where these things can be spoken about."

VIRAL: Elderly fan bows down to Virat Kohli as he slams 71st int'l ton in India-Afghanistan tie - WATCH

The No. 1 ranked Indian team entered the Asia Cup 2022 edition -- being played in the shortest format as a dress rehearsal for the T20 World Cup -- as favourites and were expected to win the trophy for the third time in a row. Despite topping their group, India lost their opening two games in the Super Four round and bowed out of the multi-nation tournament with Pakistan-Sri Lanka making it to the final.&nbsp;

Thrashing Afghanistan by 101 runs on Thursday evening (September 8), India settled for the penultimate spot in the Super Four by signing off from the tournament with a total of three wins and two defeats (versus Pakistan and Sri Lanka,&nbsp; respectively). Losing to arch-rivals Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the last over, India have been slammed left, right and centre with many taking a dig at their preparations for the upcoming ICC event. Nonetheless, head coach Rahul Dravid came in India's defence and has reckoned that 'losing a couple of games doesn't make them a terrible team.'

"Irrespective of whether we would have won those games, you got to keep things in perspective. In T20s, the margins are so small. It's not that because we won that tight game against Pakistan, everything becomes perfect. We lost a couple of games, which had gone down on a wicket that wasn't easy to defend," Dravid said in an interview on Star Sports.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-sharma-led-team-indias-t20-world-cup-squad-likely-to-be-announced-on-september-16-report-514475">Rohit Sharma-led Team India's T20 World Cup squad likely to be announced on September 16: Report</a>

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"We've taken the games down to the last ball. I'm not using that as an excuse. I still think we should have gotten over the line in at least one of those games. But we would have to still learn. We haven't been perfect. Just because we lost a couple of games, it doesn't mean we are a terrible team. We have been playing good cricket over the past 8-9 months."

"A couple of injuries and illnesses means your balance the team goes whack. In tournaments such as these, the margins become very small. The whole point is not to overreact, we can tend to go to extremes at some time. The kind of environment we want to create is very balanced," the former Indian captain-turned-coach added.

India will now shift their focus to their twin T20I series, at home, versus Australia and South Africa, respectively. After that, the Rohit-led side will head to Australia in a bid to win their second T20 WC trophy.
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The No. 1 ranked Indian team entered the Asia Cup 2022 edition -- being played in the shortest format as a dress rehearsal for the T20 World Cup -- as favourites and were expected to win the trophy for the third time in a row.

The No. 1 ranked Indian team entered the Asia Cup 2022 edition -- being played in the shortest format as a dress rehearsal for the T20 World Cup -- as favourites and were expected to win the trophy for the third time in a row. Despite topping their group, India lost their opening two games in the Super Four round and bowed out of the multi-nation tournament with Pakistan-Sri Lanka making it to the final. Thrashing Afghanistan by 101 runs on Thursday evening (September 8), India settled for the penultimate spot in the Super Four by signing off from the tournament with a total of three wins and two defeats (versus Pakistan and Sri Lanka, respectively). Losing to arch-rivals Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the last over, India have been slammed left, right and centre with many taking a dig at their preparations for the upcoming ICC event. Nonetheless, head coach Rahul Dravid came in India's defence and has reckoned that 'losing a couple of games doesn't make them a terrible team.' "Irrespective of whether we would have won those games, you got to keep things in perspective. In T20s, the margins are so small. It's not that because we won that tight game against Pakistan, everything becomes perfect. We lost a couple of games, which had gone down on a wicket that wasn't easy to defend," Dravid said in an interview on Star Sports. ALSO READ | Rohit Sharma-led Team India's T20 World Cup squad likely to be announced on September 16: Report "We've taken the games down to the last ball. I'm not using that as an excuse. I still think we should have gotten over the line in at least one of those games. But we would have to still learn. We haven't been perfect. Just because we lost a couple of games, it doesn't mean we are a terrible team. We have been playing good cricket over the past 8-9 months." "A couple of injuries and illnesses means your balance the team goes whack. In tournaments such as these, the margins become very small. The whole point is not to overreact, we can tend to go to extremes at some time. The kind of environment we want to create is very balanced," the former Indian captain-turned-coach added. India will now shift their focus to their twin T20I series, at home, versus Australia and South Africa, respectively. After that, the Rohit-led side will head to Australia in a bid to win their second T20 WC trophy.

'Because we lost few games, doesn't mean we're a terrible team'- Rahul Dravid defends under-fire Team India

After a forgettable run at the Asia Cup, India will look to amend their mistakes ahead of the 2022 T20 World Cup, in Australia from October-November. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is expected to announce the squad for the showpiece event sooner than later as many cricket boards have already announced their respective squads.&nbsp;

As per a report in the Times of India (TOI), the Indian team's squad for the upcoming ICC event is likely to be announced on September 16. Jasprit Bumrah's fitness is reportedly a reason behind the delay in squad announcement as the premier pacer is in rehab at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), Bengaluru after missing out on the Asia Cup due to a back injury. Moreover, Harshal Patel is also working on his fitness after not being part of the Rohit Sharma-led national side in the Asia Cup where the Men in Blue failed to make it to the final.

Thus, Bumrah's fitness is eagerly awaited by the BCCI before announcing the squad of the one-time winners heading into the T20 WC Down Under. With the marquee tournament just over a month away, the BCCI selectors are still not worried about Bumrah's fitness as he is expected to be deemed fit.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/no-better-option-than-md-shami-irfan-pathan-on-how-india-can-fix-bowling-woes-ahead-of-t20-world-cup-513817">No better option than Md. Shami: Irfan Pathan on how India can fix bowling woes ahead of T20 World Cup</a>

“Bumrah has not been declared fit yet. He is going to be at the NCA this week before the selection. The World Cup is still over a month away. Therefore, his selection will happen considering that,” a BCCI source told TOI. Given India's ordinary bowling performances in the continental tournament, being held in the UAE, India will be desperate to regain the services of both Bumrah and Harshal. Many are also discussing Mohammed Shami's inclusion despite the senior pacer having not played a single T20I since last year's World Cup in the UAE.&nbsp;

Given Shami's experience, good run in IPL 2022 and the the current Indian bowling line-up lagging behind, the 32-year-old might be roped in. After bowing out of the Asia Cup, India will host Australia followed by South Africa in T20I series before boarding the flight to Australia. It will be interesting to see what all changes the Rohit-Rahul Dravid-led Indian team management makes for the mega event.

India had failed to go past the Super 12 round in last year's T20 WC. Will the script change this time around for the Men in Blue? Only time will tell...

After a forgettable run at the Asia Cup, India will look to amend their mistakes ahead of the 2022 T20 World Cup, in Australia from October-November. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is expected to announce the squad for the showpiece event sooner than later as many cricket boards have already announced their respective squads.

After a forgettable run at the Asia Cup, India will look to amend their mistakes ahead of the 2022 T20 World Cup, in Australia from October-November. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is expected to announce the squad for the showpiece event sooner than later as many cricket boards have already announced their respective squads. As per a report in the Times of India (TOI), the Indian team's squad for the upcoming ICC event is likely to be announced on September 16. Jasprit Bumrah's fitness is reportedly a reason behind the delay in squad announcement as the premier pacer is in rehab at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), Bengaluru after missing out on the Asia Cup due to a back injury. Moreover, Harshal Patel is also working on his fitness after not being part of the Rohit Sharma-led national side in the Asia Cup where the Men in Blue failed to make it to the final. Thus, Bumrah's fitness is eagerly awaited by the BCCI before announcing the squad of the one-time winners heading into the T20 WC Down Under. With the marquee tournament just over a month away, the BCCI selectors are still not worried about Bumrah's fitness as he is expected to be deemed fit. ALSO READ | No better option than Md. Shami: Irfan Pathan on how India can fix bowling woes ahead of T20 World Cup “Bumrah has not been declared fit yet. He is going to be at the NCA this week before the selection. The World Cup is still over a month away. Therefore, his selection will happen considering that,” a BCCI source told TOI. Given India's ordinary bowling performances in the continental tournament, being held in the UAE, India will be desperate to regain the services of both Bumrah and Harshal. Many are also discussing Mohammed Shami's inclusion despite the senior pacer having not played a single T20I since last year's World Cup in the UAE. Given Shami's experience, good run in IPL 2022 and the the current Indian bowling line-up lagging behind, the 32-year-old might be roped in. After bowing out of the Asia Cup, India will host Australia followed by South Africa in T20I series before boarding the flight to Australia. It will be interesting to see what all changes the Rohit-Rahul Dravid-led Indian team management makes for the mega event. India had failed to go past the Super 12 round in last year's T20 WC. Will the script change this time around for the Men in Blue? Only time will tell...

Rohit Sharma-led Team India's T20 World Cup squad likely to be announced on September 16: Report

Ravindra Jadeja sustained a knee injury during the group stage of the Asia Cup 2022 edition. With him being ruled out, India went onto lose&nbsp;their first two games in the Super Four round and have bowed out of the competition with one game to play.

Jadeja's injury came as a huge setback for the Rohit Sharma-led Indian team in the continental tournament. He attained a wicket and remained economical versus Pakistan and Hong Kong, respectively, and played a crucial 29-ball 35 versus the Men in Green in Men in Blue's tournament-opener. While his knee surgery has been successful, he is expected to begin his rehabilitation&nbsp;to become fit for the 2022 T20 World Cup (head coach Rahul Dravid hasn't ruled out the possibility of his&nbsp;comeback as yet).

Despite him being a vital cog across formats for India, former Indian stumper and chief selector Saba Karim made a bold claim on the 33-year-old Jadeja. Karim feels Jaddu's comeback won't be that easy while speaking on Sports18. He said,&nbsp;“It's a tough phase for him because whenever he comes back, he has always done well and for him to get injured at such a critical juncture in his career is not so easy."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-is-looking-uncomfortable-he-is-shouting-screaming-says-shoaib-akhtar-after-indias-asia-cup-exit-514008">Rohit looking uncomfortable, was shouting &amp; screaming, says Akhtar after India's Asia Cup debacle</a>

Karim added, "But I think with age, it may not be easy for him to do that. So I think he needs to go back and work on his rehab and then try and come back. But more importantly, I feel that it’s your mindset, the kind of preparation you do before you come back on the field after your injury."

India will be desperate to regain Jadeja's services going into the 2022 T20 WC, in Australia, given they fell flat in the Asia Cup following his exit.

Ravindra Jadeja sustained a knee injury during the group stage of the Asia Cup 2022 edition. With him being ruled out, India went onto lose their first two games in the Super Four round and have bowed out of the competition with one game to play.

Ravindra Jadeja sustained a knee injury during the group stage of the Asia Cup 2022 edition. With him being ruled out, India went onto lose their first two games in the Super Four round and have bowed out of the competition with one game to play. Jadeja's injury came as a huge setback for the Rohit Sharma-led Indian team in the continental tournament. He attained a wicket and remained economical versus Pakistan and Hong Kong, respectively, and played a crucial 29-ball 35 versus the Men in Green in Men in Blue's tournament-opener. While his knee surgery has been successful, he is expected to begin his rehabilitation to become fit for the 2022 T20 World Cup (head coach Rahul Dravid hasn't ruled out the possibility of his comeback as yet). Despite him being a vital cog across formats for India, former Indian stumper and chief selector Saba Karim made a bold claim on the 33-year-old Jadeja. Karim feels Jaddu's comeback won't be that easy while speaking on Sports18. He said, “It's a tough phase for him because whenever he comes back, he has always done well and for him to get injured at such a critical juncture in his career is not so easy." ALSO READ | Rohit looking uncomfortable, was shouting & screaming, says Akhtar after India's Asia Cup debacle Karim added, "But I think with age, it may not be easy for him to do that. So I think he needs to go back and work on his rehab and then try and come back. But more importantly, I feel that it’s your mindset, the kind of preparation you do before you come back on the field after your injury." India will be desperate to regain Jadeja's services going into the 2022 T20 WC, in Australia, given they fell flat in the Asia Cup following his exit.

Ex-India selector makes bold claim on Ravindra Jadeja, explains why his return to action won't be easy

Naseem Shah's twin sixes in the last over of the Pakistan-Afghanistan clash led to Babar Azam &amp; Co.'s stunning one-wicket win in the Super Four clash of the Asia Cup on Wednesday evening (September 7) in Sharjah.&nbsp;

With this result, Pakistan secured a spot in the final where they will play Sri Lanka on September 11. On the other hand, Naseem's strikes eliminated both Afghanistan and India from the competition. Now, the two eliminated sides -- who topped their respective groups -- will lock horns in an inconsequential tie at the iconic Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai on Thursday evening (September 8).

Both India and Afghanistan have some glaring issues to address and they will be desperate to go past one another to sign off their forgettable Asia Cup campaign with a win.&nbsp;

Here is all you need to know about the India-Afghanistan&nbsp;Super 4 clash in Asia Cup 2022:

When will India face Afghanistan&nbsp;in Asia Cup 2022?

India will take on Afghanistan&nbsp;in their third and final Super Four clash at the Asia Cup 2022 on Thursday (September 08).

At what time will the Asia Cup 2022 clash between India and Afghanistan&nbsp;get underway?

The India-Afghanistan&nbsp;tie in Asia Cup 2022 will commence&nbsp;at 7:30 PM IST.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-this-is-a-question-out-of-my-book-ravindra-jadeja-on-rishabh-pants-absence-from-pakistan-clash-511703">WATCH: 'This is a question out of my book' - Ravindra Jadeja on Rishabh Pant's absence from Pakistan clash</a>

How to watch the Asia Cup 2022 clash between India and Afghanistan?

Star Sports will broadcast the&nbsp;clash in India and the live streaming will be available on the Hotstar app and website.

Naseem Shah's twin sixes in the last over of the Pakistan-Afghanistan clash led to Babar Azam & Co.'s stunning one-wicket win in the Super Four clash of the Asia Cup on Wednesday evening (September 7) in Sharjah.

Naseem Shah's twin sixes in the last over of the Pakistan-Afghanistan clash led to Babar Azam & Co.'s stunning one-wicket win in the Super Four clash of the Asia Cup on Wednesday evening (September 7) in Sharjah. With this result, Pakistan secured a spot in the final where they will play Sri Lanka on September 11. On the other hand, Naseem's strikes eliminated both Afghanistan and India from the competition. Now, the two eliminated sides -- who topped their respective groups -- will lock horns in an inconsequential tie at the iconic Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai on Thursday evening (September 8). Both India and Afghanistan have some glaring issues to address and they will be desperate to go past one another to sign off their forgettable Asia Cup campaign with a win. Here is all you need to know about the India-Afghanistan Super 4 clash in Asia Cup 2022: When will India face Afghanistan in Asia Cup 2022? India will take on Afghanistan in their third and final Super Four clash at the Asia Cup 2022 on Thursday (September 08). At what time will the Asia Cup 2022 clash between India and Afghanistan get underway? The India-Afghanistan tie in Asia Cup 2022 will commence at 7:30 PM IST. ALSO READ | WATCH: 'This is a question out of my book' - Ravindra Jadeja on Rishabh Pant's absence from Pakistan clash How to watch the Asia Cup 2022 clash between India and Afghanistan? Star Sports will broadcast the clash in India and the live streaming will be available on the Hotstar app and website.

Asia Cup 2022, IND vs Afg live streaming: When and where to watch India vs Afghanistan Super 4 match?

Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar opined on Rohit Sharma and his captaincy as Team India crashed out of the Asia Cup 2022. After India's six-wicket loss to Sri Lanka on Tuesday (September 6) in the Super Four clash, the Men in Blue were on the brink of elimination and were finally ousted with Pakistan's one-wicket win over Afghanistan in a thriller on Wednesday (September 7).

Talking about India-Sri Lanka clash, Rohit-led India were asked to bat first and rode on the captain's 72 and contributions from Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya and R Ashwin to post 173-8. However, it wasn't enough as fifties from the Sri Lankan openers Kusal Medis-Pathum Nissanka and captain Dasun Shanaka-Bhanuka Rajapaksa's finishing knocks ensured the Islanders a six-wicket win&nbsp;on the penultimate ball of the contest.

After India's back-to-back defeats in the Super Four, Akhtar commented on their disheartening performances. He feels Asia Cup debacle is a wake-up call for the one-time winners ahead of the 2022 T20 World Cup, from October-November in Australia. He also insisted there is no need for a change in captaincy despite heavy criticism of Rohit Sharma but highlighted some concerns for Team India.&nbsp;

"You don't have to change the captain again. Rohit Sharma was looking uncomfortable, he was shouting and screaming. There is uncertainty in the Indian camp. In hindsight, this is a good wake up call for India. Now, India know what their final XI should be, especially with the T20 World Cup coming up," Akhtar said in a video on his YouTube channel.

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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/too-much-crap-rohit-sharma-says-indian-players-ignore-social-media-amid-arshdeep-singhs-brutal-trolling-513878">'Too much crap': Rohit Sharma says Indian players ignore social media amid Arshdeep Singh's brutal trolling</a>

'India should not be disheartened'

Akhtar added, "I do not think India played very poorly; they did not play well, that is a fact, but there is a rise after every fall, and this fall might help them in the World Cup. India should not be disheartened, but they should learn from this. They should find their final playing XI. Rohit Sharma has to sharpen up his captaincy as well."

India will like to address few glaring issues in their remaining Super Four clash at the Asia Cup, on Thursday evening (September 8) in Dubai, before boarding a flight back home.&nbsp;Will they remain winless in the Super Four or at least manage to bow out with a consolation victory? Only time will tell...
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Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar opined on Rohit Sharma and his captaincy as Team India crashed out of the Asia Cup 2022. After India's six-wicket loss to Sri Lanka on Tuesday (September 6) in the Super Four clash, the Men in Blue were on the brink of elimination and were finally ousted with Pakistan's one-wicket win over Afghanistan in a thriller on Wednesday (September 7).

Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar opined on Rohit Sharma and his captaincy as Team India crashed out of the Asia Cup 2022. After India's six-wicket loss to Sri Lanka on Tuesday (September 6) in the Super Four clash, the Men in Blue were on the brink of elimination and were finally ousted with Pakistan's one-wicket win over Afghanistan in a thriller on Wednesday (September 7). Talking about India-Sri Lanka clash, Rohit-led India were asked to bat first and rode on the captain's 72 and contributions from Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya and R Ashwin to post 173-8. However, it wasn't enough as fifties from the Sri Lankan openers Kusal Medis-Pathum Nissanka and captain Dasun Shanaka-Bhanuka Rajapaksa's finishing knocks ensured the Islanders a six-wicket win on the penultimate ball of the contest. After India's back-to-back defeats in the Super Four, Akhtar commented on their disheartening performances. He feels Asia Cup debacle is a wake-up call for the one-time winners ahead of the 2022 T20 World Cup, from October-November in Australia. He also insisted there is no need for a change in captaincy despite heavy criticism of Rohit Sharma but highlighted some concerns for Team India. "You don't have to change the captain again. Rohit Sharma was looking uncomfortable, he was shouting and screaming. There is uncertainty in the Indian camp. In hindsight, this is a good wake up call for India. Now, India know what their final XI should be, especially with the T20 World Cup coming up," Akhtar said in a video on his YouTube channel. ALSO READ | 'Too much crap': Rohit Sharma says Indian players ignore social media amid Arshdeep Singh's brutal trolling 'India should not be disheartened' Akhtar added, "I do not think India played very poorly; they did not play well, that is a fact, but there is a rise after every fall, and this fall might help them in the World Cup. India should not be disheartened, but they should learn from this. They should find their final playing XI. Rohit Sharma has to sharpen up his captaincy as well." India will like to address few glaring issues in their remaining Super Four clash at the Asia Cup, on Thursday evening (September 8) in Dubai, before boarding a flight back home. Will they remain winless in the Super Four or at least manage to bow out with a consolation victory? Only time will tell...

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