Chennai:Ravi Shastri, during his days as the coach of the Indian team, enjoyed playing with two wrist-spinners in the XI. Now, as Surya Kumar Yadav’s Team India prepares for the Asia Cup in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup next year, the former India all-rounder feels it will be a great option to have Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav in the XI. During an exclusive chat with TOI , Shastri, who will be doing commentary for the Asia Cup, spoke about India’s probable combination, Surya’s captaincy, and a lot more. Excerpts:How do you see SKY as a T20 captain? India are entering this Asia Cup almost with an obligation to win. Is that added pressure on him?Not really. When you go in with such a strong side, you feel great as a captain. All you want to tell your guys is not to be overconfident. Carry on with the way you’ve been playing T20 cricket. Surya has been leading now for a while and he’s done an excellent job.
Do India’s two X-factor bowlers, Jasprit Bumrah and Varun, give them an impregnable look?I won’t single out anyone for T20s on a given day; bowlers can be taken apart. Having said that, Bumrah is extra special and the best going around across formats. But don’t forget, there are other teams that play spin very well. So, it will be a test for the spinners too.When you were coach, irrespective of conditions, you looked to play Kuldeep and Yuzvendra Chahal together. How tempted will you be to play both Kuldeep and Varun?If you have two wrist-spinners of that quality, I would love to have them in my side. I think Kuldeep is at his peak now. He did extremely well in IPL and unfortunately, couldn’t make it to the team in the Tests in England because of the conditions and the strength that India have. But he will be a vital cog in the wheel in the Asia Cup and going forward along with Varun and Axar Patel.
Poll
Do you think Surya Kumar Yadav is ready to lead India in the T20 format?
Because of the ‘Impact Sub’ in the IPL, Indian players are used to playing with the luxury of eight batters. Now that Ravindra Jadeja has retired from T20s, India may have to play seven batters to add bowling depth. Will that cause insecurity?Not at all. You have all-rounders like Axar and Hardik, who start coming in from 5-6, even before 7 maybe. Then you have someone like Shivam Dube, so I don’t think they should be worried about ‘Impact Sub’ and all that.What’s your take on Shubman Gill the T20 player?Gill has all the shots in the book. He gets the big scores. Just see his IPL record over the last few years. And especially after a tour of England, he will be on a high. But, in Dubai, the pitches could be slower and even the top shot-makers will have to adjust. Having said that, Gill will be a pillar of strength for Indian teams across formats for the next 10 years.You have followed Indian cricket for a long time. Is this probably the most fearless T20 bunch that you have watched?I think so. With the amount of IPL cricket being played, the confidence and the shot-making ability of some of the players is unbelievable. They are young, they have the exuberance of youth, and if they get good conditions, these guys can be real entertainers. They are quite clearly the team to beat. (Live coverage of the Asia Cup will start on Sept 9 at 7:00 PM onwards on Sony Sports Ten 1 & 5).
