“Play Shardul Thakur and Ishan Kishan”: Harbhajan Singh makes earnest request to selectors for team combination changes for India vs New Zealand T20 World Cup match

Gurpreet Singh | 30/10/2021
"Play Shardul Thakur and Ishan Kishan": Harbhajan Singh makes earnest request to selectors for team combination changes for India vs New Zealand T20 World Cup match

Harbhajan Singh requests the selectors to include Shardul Thakur and Ishan Kishan for India vs New Zealand T20 World Cup match in Dubai

The Indian Cricket team were given a hard lesson on humility as they received a heavy drubbing at the hands of Pakistan in their first match of the ICC T20 World Cup previous Sunday. A defeat by 10 wickets was really a massive dent on the hopes of its supporters, but they’ll surely also take some heart as well given the ability of their team to bounce back after such low moments in the recent past.

As India gear up to face New Zealand next on October 31, fans and experts are up for brainstorming activities to dwell on the possible permutations and combinations (if any) to face them. The match as well is touted as a do-or-die encounter for both the teams, given Pakistan’s good run of form in the tournament so far and the quality of the remaining teams in the group as well.

Joining in the trend as well is India’s premier off spinner Harbhajan Singh, who opts for not one but two changes in the playing 11 following the game against Pakistan.

Harbhajan Singh opts for radical changes for India vs New Zealand T20 World Cup match

The 41-year-old took to his YouTube channel to make a case for the inclusion of all rounder Shardul Thakur and the left- handed batting sensation- Ishan Kishan in the playing 11 for tomorrow’s game versus New Zealand.

He opts for a 2+1 combination (2 pacers and a spinner) as far as the bowling department is concerned, with Thakur providing the depth in batting as well. He although did not mention the players who should make way for them.

The ‘Turbanator’ also wishes the team management to give a free hand to Ishan Kishan to play his natural brand of Cricket- the attacking one. He believes that a player of Ishan’s caliber can take the scoreboard to even around 190 runs, if he gets going if India is invited to bat first.

“No point playing 3 spinners”- Harbhajan 

Fans have been tempted to include the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin and leg spinner Rahul Chahar as well in the side. Ashwin in fact had shown quite decent form in the two warm-up matches he played against England and  Australia respectively.

But, Harbhajan suggests that with dew likely to play a significant role, going for 3 spinners would be like playing with fire and might well disturb the balance of the side.

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Post Edited By: Dixit Bhargav
Harbhajan Singh ishan kishan shardul thakur

About the author

Gurpreet Singh

Gurpreet Singh is a Cricket writer at The Sportsrush. His platonic relationship with sports had always been there since childhood, but Cricket managed to strike a special, intimate nerve of his heart. Although his initial dream of playing the sport at the highest level couldn't come to fruition, Gurpreet did represent the state of Jharkhand at the under-14 level. However, almost like taking a pledge to never let the undying passion for Cricket fade away even a tad, he made sure to continue the love relationship by assigning the field of journalism as an indirect Cupid. He thus, first finished his bachelor's in journalism and then pursued the PG Diploma course in English journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC). Soon after and since 2019, he has been working at The Sportsrush. Apart from sports, he takes keen interest in politics, and in understanding women and gender-related issues.

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