MUMBAI: The Indian squad for the ICC Champions Trophy will be picked in the city tomorrow. By the looks of it, most players pick themselves and that will only make the task easier for the Sandeep Patil-chaired selection committee.
That said there are two places in the team that would make Patil & Co think hard. The openers' slot and whether or not they should include a leg-spinner in the 15-member squad. There is a rich stream of talent in the middle order and pace department, which of course gives the selectors plenty of options given that most of them are in good form or rhythm.
The dilemma, however, will be to find a new steady opening pair now that Sachin Tendulkar has bid adieu to ODIs and Virender Sehwag has fallen out of favour. Needless to say, whoever takes their place, will have to fill big shoes.
Shikhar Dhawan inspires confidence on current form, but he is still untested in international waters.
"The opening slot is a concern. Shikhar surely will be picked and I feel there would be a toss up between Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma for the other opening slot. I say Rohit because he has opened the innings on a few occasions and has done reasonably well at the top of the order," said Krishnamachari Srikkanth, who served as chairman of selectors in the recent past.
In the spin department, R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja are certainties, but both Vengsarkar and Srikkanth feel that a leg-spinner is a must-have in England.
"We need a leg-spinner who actually turns the ball. Basically, he has to go for wickets," said Vengsarkar.
Srikkanth feels that on current form Amit Mishra should get a look in. "Leg-spinners are match winners. Amit Mishra has been bowling very well and I think he deserves a look in," he said.
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