Former selection committee chairman MSK Prasad said that all-rounder Krunal Pandya and opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan could have been included in India’s 15-man squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup in the UAE. According to Prasad, both the players were overlooked by the current selection panel led by Chetan Sharma.

However, Prasad reckons he would have thought about Krunal and Dhawan‘s inclusion, especially because of their recent form for their respective franchises in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

It can be seen that Delhi Capitals opener Shikhar Dhawan is the leading scorer in this season of IPL with 422 runs so far. Krunal has been a key player in the Mumbai Indians playing XI over the last few years.

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Speaking to Sports Tak, Prasad said, “Shikhar Dhawan maybe could have been included because he has always done well in ICC tournaments. He could have been more useful for the Indian side and similarly, Krunal Pandya is one guy whom we have groomed in the T20 format for the last 2-3 years. He’s been with the Mumbai Indians and doing well.”

“Selectors would have definitely put their minds into the T20 squad. But I felt as a lay man that these are the two guys who could have been fitted in,” Prasad added.

He also gave an insight into the selection of youngster Rahul Chahar over the experienced Yuzvendra Chahal in the World Cup squad. He also said that why the selectors may have preferred the MI leg-spinner over the senior Royal Challengers Bangalore bowler.

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“Chahal is our best T20 bowler in terms of the number of wickets he has picked for Team India in the last few years. The selectors would have thought about the competition between Rahul Chahar and Yuzvendra Chahal,” the former Indian wicket keeper said.

Prasad further said that Chahal has never disappointed Virat Kohli on the flat wickets in Bengaluru and always given wickets. But there has been a little dip in his performance in the last one-and-a-half-years.

“Rahul Chahar and Yuzvendra Chahal is a debatable issue but I would have definitely thought about Shikhar Dhawan and Krunal Pandya’s inclusion, considering the way they have done for their respective franchises in the IPL,” Prasad said.

India will begin their T20 World Cup campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan in Dubai on October 24.