The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is expected to announce India’s T20 World Cup squad any moment. While fans have already started justifying their favourite picks for the tournament that starts on October 17, experts have also weighed in. Cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has picked his 15-man India squad for the tournament. 

The likes of Shikhar Dhawan and Shreyas Iyer, interestingly, don’t find a spot in Gavaskar’s 15-man squad. The former Indian skipper shared his team on Sports Tak. Gavaskar went for spin-bowling all-rounder Krunal Pandya. “He’s an all-rounder, a very experienced player, has performed very well in the IPL for the past many years so he surely deserves a place. He’s left-handed, which is an advantage as well,” he said. 

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Two other spin bowling all-rounders who made the cut in Gavaskar’s 15 were Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar. 

For pacers, the Little Master simply went for what seems the best bowling trio India has – Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami. Chennai Super Kings duo of Deepak Chahar and Shardul Thakur also got a spot. While, Yuzvendra Chahal got Gavaskar’s nod as a specialist spinner, Kuldeep Yadav was not even mentioned. 

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Sunil Gavaskar’s India squad for T20 World Cup 2021: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli (c), KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar (subject to fitness), Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur and Yuzvendra Chahal.

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A total of 18 players will be picked for the showpiece event, including three reserves. The Chetan Sharma-led selection panel after meeting and getting in touch with Indian skipper Virat Kohli and head coach Ravi Shastri will finalise the squad.