New Delhi: Having cemented their positions as one of the favourites for the upcoming World Twenty20 championship here this March and April, India will want to field the strongest possible squad at the biennial ICC event. In one sense the strong showing against Australia — particularly the T20 sweep last month — will have sorted out a few dilemmas for the selectors who are to meet here on Friday, and only a few seats remain to be filled.
The team for Asia Cup in Bangladesh will also be named at the same time. Top of a short list of places is a lower middle order slot for the World T20s, and Karnataka batsman Manish Pandey has pushed himself into contention with his scintillating hundred in the run-fest at Sydney. It gave India their only win in the ODI series, but more importantly, also underlined the depth now available in the batting department. By all indications, Indian cricket’s ‘almost there’ man, Ajinkya Rahane may once again find himself under the scanner.
