Senior spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has been named in India’s spin-heavy 15-member World Cup squad that also includes Varun Chakravarthy who only made his international T20 debut this year.
Ashwin, a 34-year-old off-spinner, returns to the limited-overs fold after four years since playing a T20 for the national side in July 2017.
Chief selector Chetan Sharma called Varun’s inclusion a “surprise package” for the opposition teams.
Opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan remains one of the notable omissions from the squad after he recently led India on a limited-overs tour of Sri Lanka.
India’s squad announcement for T20 World Cup as it happened: Ashwin returns, Dhoni named mentor
India squad
Virat Kohli (capt), Rohit Sharma (vice captain), KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Rahul Chahar, Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami
Standby players: Shreyas Iyer, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar
Sharma said Dhawan has been rested and “will be back soon”.
Seen as the go-to wrist spinners not long ago, Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav have also been left out with the selectors opting for Varun and legspinner Rahul Chahar instead.
Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel come in as all-rounders while Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah lead the pace pack.
Indian Premier League stars Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan – both part of holders Mumbai Indians team – have made the squad.
Sharma said the left-handed Kishan gives the batting flexibility with his ability to open and bat in the middle order.
“We have three openers. We have Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan who can bat as an opener and fit in the middle-order as well,” said Sharma.
“Ishan is giving us opportunities...He is a good player of spin in the middle overs. If need of the hour arises to make Kohli open and the management thinks it that way then it’s fine, otherwise we have three openers.”
The World Cup runs from October 17 to November 14.
India begin their campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan on October 24 in Dubai.
✸ No Yuzi Chahal
— The Field (@thefield_in) September 8, 2021
✸ No Shikhar Dhawan
✸ R Ashwin makes a comeback in spin-heavy squad
What are your thoughts on India's squad? How would you rate the team's chances of reclaiming the trophy? Let us know. https://t.co/BZrYXyfsw5 pic.twitter.com/O5hUuGHZ3c
2017: I wrote this quote down a million times in my diary before putting this up on the wall! Quotes that we read and admire have more power when we internalise them and apply in life.
— Mask up and take your vaccine🙏🙏🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) September 8, 2021
Happiness and gratitude are the only 2 words that define me now.🙏 #t20worldcup2021 pic.twitter.com/O0L3y6OBLl
Clearly this is a team picked on the assumption that spin will play a big part. 5 spinners. Big grounds in Dubai and Abu Dhabi a big factor. Had expected Deepak Chahar in place of one spinner. Axar, the surprise
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) September 8, 2021
One spinner too many and one seamer short. Otherwise a good squad.
— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) September 8, 2021
Last IPL only Sharjah slowed down towards the end while Abu Dhabi & Dubai stayed true throughout. And India don't play in Sharjah.#T20WorldCup https://t.co/5u5GPJZ1vP
That is one HELL of a team . Well done selectors .
— DK (@DineshKarthik) September 8, 2021
M S DHONI - that's a master stroke too 😉💞🙂
Congrats to everyone but more so to @ashwinravi99 and @chakaravarthy29 from my neck of the woods. Well done boys 👍❤️ https://t.co/ovJlGBH95g
This is some squad!
— Rajneesh Gupta (@rgcricket) September 8, 2021
The combined T20 tally (including reserves):
Mts - 2994 (Most: 350-Rohit, Least: 24-Varun)
Runs - 47000 (Most: 9929- Virat)
100s - 21 (Most: 6- Rohit)
Wkts - 1601 (Most: 249- Ashwin)
and then there is Dhoni as mentor!#T20WorldCupsquad @BCCI https://t.co/ebbg3diOiS
The Reunion we all have been waiting for 🤝 @msdhoni returns to mentor #TeamIndia for the #T20WorldCup 🙌
— BCCI (@BCCI) September 8, 2021
How excited are you to see him back? 💙 pic.twitter.com/znPWBLeYNo
Had the whole day, could have chosen to announce this at 19:29 https://t.co/WdQ2Xmzps6
— absy (@absycric) September 8, 2021
Two changes I'd have made:
— Rohit Sankar (@imRohit_SN) September 8, 2021
- Mohammed Siraj for Axar Patel
- DK for Kishan with Kishan as backup instead of Iyer#Indianteam #T20WorldCup
Varun Chakravarthy's journey - from making his debut in the Tamil Nadu Premier League, aged 25, to being in India's World Cup squad 4 years later - is remarkable.
— Tim Wigmore (@timwig) September 8, 2021
It shows how the IPL, and the state T20 leagues beneath it, are democratising Indian cricket.
Dhoni is not the surprise.
— Abhishek Mukherjee (@SachinAzharCT) (@ovshake42) September 8, 2021
That they needed a mentor is the surprise.
6 players from Mumbai Indians in the 15 member squad of the Indian team in the T20 World Cup 2021.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) September 8, 2021
Ashwin Chahal pic.twitter.com/W67nD8PtDk
— Sritama Panda (@cricketpun_duh) September 8, 2021
*Please ignore my voice*
— Sarah Waris (@swaris16) September 8, 2021
I KNEW IT WAS HIS "DREAM". IGNORE HOW HE HAD LAUGHED. BCCI, LISTENING TO MY QUESTIONS AND MAKING HIS DREAM COME TRUE. 😂😂@BoredCricket yaay! 😭😂pic.twitter.com/QA0bn56fmJ
From maiden T20 WC selection to a record 7th T20 World Cup. A proud moment for our 6️⃣ 🇮🇳
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) September 8, 2021
7️⃣ x Rohit
2️⃣ x Hardik & Jasprit
1️⃣ x Surya, Rahul & Ishan#OneFamily #MumbaiIndians #T20WorldCup @BCCI pic.twitter.com/6R0XNbvIND
India have picked a spin heavy squad for T20 World Cup. Five slow bowlers and only three specialist fast bowlers in the 15. Looks like the plan is to play with 3 spinners in the XI. MS Dhoni will mentor the team. Their first match is against Pakistan in Dubai on October 24. 🤞
— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) September 8, 2021
All the very best to #TeamIndia on the upcoming T20 World Cup, the selected squad looks very balanced. Good to have @ashwinravi99 back in the team, and a fabulous decision by @bcci to have the man himself @msdhoni bhai as the mentor.
— Suresh Raina🇮🇳 (@ImRaina) September 8, 2021
A complete circle from 2017 Champions Trophy Final. The OG Spin Twins are back !!! #T20WorldCup https://t.co/CBzLgCVEdS
— Kartik O 🏏⚽🔗 (@KOCricket528) September 8, 2021
next year hopefully pic.twitter.com/bJd5RdXyBu
— . (@spidernoir99) September 8, 2021
4D chess by RCB captain to pump up Chahal for IPL. pic.twitter.com/wmDMdh0Zje
— Manya (@CSKian716) September 8, 2021
At the dusk of the Kuldeep-Chahal era of Indian cricket, I really rue the fact that there were no ICC tournaments back in 2018. What a magical phase for our limited overs bowling!
— Mr. Chocolate Hazelnut Spread (@basedIITian) September 8, 2021
Six bowling option is going to be the norm for India in the World Cup. Good move, but it slightly compromises the batting depth they were badly after. Also surprised Shami got in ahead of Chahar and Thakur. Overall a very strong squad picked with group phase opponents in mind.
— Venkata Krishna B (@venkatatweets) September 8, 2021
Biggest Surprise - No D Chahar & Chahal.
— Gaurav Sundararaman (@gaurav_sundar) September 8, 2021
Missing: Dhawan did everything he could to stake a claim for the role. Consistency and excellent SR. Tough omission
Varun's story is unbelievable. Part of a WC squad under MS, Kohli and Ashwin would be a dream come true. #T20WorldCup
Amid all the buzz and excitement surrounding India's T20 World Cup squad, a friend pinged me on WhatsApp: "MS Dhoni ko toss jeetne ke liye mentor banaya kya?" 😭😭😭
— Subhayan Chakraborty (@CricSubhayan) September 8, 2021
Surely 'mentor' translates to 'DRS coach'
— Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) September 8, 2021