Shane Watson provides possible replacement option for Jasprit Bumrah
Experienced seamers Mohammad Shami and Deepak Chahar are among the players already on India's standby list for the T20 World Cup, while Mohammad Siraj is also in the mix to feature given he received a call-up to replace Bumrah for the remainder of the South Africa T20 series.
Watson is adamant that Siraj is the best option for India for the 20-over showcase Down Under.
"The player I would put in if Jasprit’s not available is Mohammad Siraj, because of the firepower he presents," Watson told host Sanjana Ganesan on The ICC Review.
"Without Bumrah, that’s the one thing India won’t necessarily have, which is vital on Australian wickets on the bigger grounds with the pace and bounce.
"Siraj is great with the brand new ball. He is fast, he swings the ball away but also his defensive skills are pretty good.
"And he’s got better over the last couple of years, with what we’ve seen in the IPL.
"So, for me he’s probably going to be the one who is going to have the most impact."
Jasprit Bumrah strikes early for India
Watson thinks India's chances of claiming a second T20 World Cup title will be severely hampered with Bumrah not making the trip to Australia.
Bumrah took more wickets than any other India pacer at last year's T20 World Cup and it’s the 28-year-old’s versatility to bowl with superbly with the new ball and at the death that Watson thinks India will miss most.
"Honestly, I think it’s going to have a huge impact on India’s chances of winning the T20 World Cup,” Watson noted.
"He is one of the best bowlers in the world and India in particular, with their fast bowlers, he is the main guy who can take wickets with the brand new ball but also is an incredible defensive bowler at the back end of the game.
"India have got incredible firepower with the bat, all the way down as we’ve seen for a long time, but bowlers, the fast bowlers in particular, there’s always a bit of a question and Bumrah’s one of the best in the world.
"So, everyone’s got their fingers crossed that he will be OK, because for me, there’s no genuine replacement.
"There’s no replacement in the world for Jasprit.
"In terms of the quality of bowler, he is alone in Indian cricket. So it’s going to be a bit more of a battle."
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