Deepak Chahar, who was among the stand-by players in Team India’s squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup, has been ruled out of the ICC tournament in Australia due to back injury. He was expected to replace Jasprit Bumrah in the main squad but it is being reported that the stiffness in his back will take time to heal.
In the absence of Bumrah and Chahar, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was forced to send Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj and Shardul Thakur to Australia. The three pacers will join the Indian contingent, which is currently training in Perth.
“Deepak will take some time to get fit. His back issue has flared up again. His ankle is fine and there wasn’t any problem there. So BCCI is sending three reinforcements. Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj and Shardul Thakur,” a BCCI official told PTI on Wednesday.
The Indian selectors do not have much time to name the official replacement for Bumrah as October 15 is the deadline to announce the final changes in the 15-member squad. The 2022 T20 World Cup will kickoff on October 16 with India opening their campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan on October 23.
Meanwhile, expectations will be high from Shami if he is roped into the squad as a replacement for the injured Bumrah. Shami has the experience and the skills to be the strike bowler for Rohit Sharma & Co.; however, he has not played a single T20 international for his national team since the last year’s World Cup which remains a huge concern for the Men in Blue.