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Former India cricketer and national selector Jatin Paranjape feels that Akash Deep should start over Mohammed Siraj in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy if Mohammed Shami is available to lead the attack. The pace trio of Shami, Siraj, and Jasprit Bumrah have been guaranteed starters in India's overseas Tests when fully fit. Their presence as a unit is vital for India if they wish to win their third series in a row against Australia away from home.
However, their co-existence is in doubt, given Shami's difficult recovery after ankle surgery and the happy headache that newcomer Akash Deep has handed with his recent displays.
Shami has not played in the ongoing WTC cycle at all, while the likes of Mukesh Kumar and Prasidh Krishna were also inconsistent with their performances. This gave Akash Deep a chance to burst into the team, and he has not put a foot wrong across the three appearances he has made.
“Essentially, they will have a squad of 16, plus a backup squad of six or seven players who will travel with the team in case of injuries. If Shami is fit—and I think he will be—I’d be tempted to play Akash Deep ahead of Mohammed Siraj, purely based on current form,” Paranjape said in an interview with the Times of India.
“If he (Shami) is not fit, Siraj will obviously become the second fast bowler behind Bumrah. The third bowler spot will go to Akash Deep if Shami is unavailable. I think India will take five fast bowlers on this tour, and those will be Bumrah, Shami, Siraj, Akash Deep, and Mukesh Kumar. They will also take Arshdeep and one or two other fast bowlers as backups,” Paranjape added.
Akash Deep made an instant impression with his memorable spell against the England top order in the fourth Test in Ranchi earlier this year. He was also a surprise inclusion over the likes of Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel in the Test series against Bangladesh.
"I have a feeling the scoreline will be 3-2 India or 4-1 India" - Jatin Paranjape
The upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia is one of the most highly-anticipated red-ball affairs. The narrative, the star power across both teams and the importance it places from the WTC standings point of view give it the potential to be an unforgettable affair.
Fans and pundits are divided regarding the predictions, with the general feeling being that both sides can win the series.
"I have a feeling the scoreline will be 3-2 India or 4-1 India. If nobody gets injured, this will be the result. India will definitely win the series," Paranjape predicted.
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy is scheduled to begin from November 22 onwards at the Optus Stadium in Perth.
