'Wrong thought process': Virender Sehwag questions India's major selection call ahead of T20 World Cup

After India's early exit from the 2022 Asia Cup, all eyes are on the selectors with the squad set to be announced for the 2022 T20 World Cup. While there is no confirmation on when the Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) will name the 15-man squad for the global event, it is expected to happen within the next week.

Ahead of the selection meeting, ex-Indian opener Virender Sehwag has hit out at the selectors and team management for axing veteran pacer Mohammad Shami from the set up for the shortest format and claimed the team will need experience in Australia. Shami has not featured in India's squad in the T20 format since the Rahul Dravid-Rohit Sharma pair took charge of the team. Shami's last appearance for the Men in Blue in the shortest format came in the 2021 T20 World Cup.

"It's a wrong thought process (about Shami not being in T20I plans). Two years ago, even (Ravichandran) Ashwin wasn't in your plans. But if your two bowlers were injured, you could have picked Shami for his experience in the Asia Cup," said Sehwag on Cricbuzz.

"When Avesh was unavailable, Shami would have played. I understand you want to give youngsters a chance, but in Australia you also need experience. Shami will be handy on those fast pitches," he added.

Shami had played a key role in helping Gujarat Titans win the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) was the highest wicket-taker of the Hardik Pandya-led side with 20 scalps in 16 matches. His international record in the T20 format is rather underwhelming having taken just 18 wickets in 17 matches at an extremely expensive economy rate of 9.54.

Both Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel are injury doubts for the T20 WC having missed the Asia Cup while Deepak Chahar has only played one T20I and two ODIs since being out of action for six months. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Arshdeep Singh are likely to make the squad.