• Source:PTI
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T20 World Cup 2024: Former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar says he would have picked a much younger Indian squad for the T20 World Cup since loading the side with seniors has not worked in the past.

Manjrekar said now India have no other choice but to pair Rohit Sharma with Virat Kohli for the opening slot when he would have preferred to add the flavour of young and talented Yashaswi Jaiswal.

Rohit and Kohli did not feature in much of the T20 assignments for India last year but returned to the fold as selectors showed faith in the seasoned campaigners.

"Ideally, I would not have gone that way; I would have stuck with a slightly more younger kind of, core set of players but the selectors have committed themselves to the icons, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli," Manjrekar said on Star Sports' Press Room World Cup edition on Friday.

"Now that they are in the squad, it's impossible to have Virat Kohli batting at No. 3 because then you don't get the full rally of Virat.

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Rohit Sharma has to open, so now, India in a way have forced themselves to have only one kind of combination — two right-handers," he said.

Manjrekar does not think Jaiswal would find a place in the Indian XI.

"Unfortunately, Jaiswal will have to sit out. I would have gone completely with a new lot (and) then he would have had a lot more flair and it would be something different," he said.

"(But) India have trusted the seniors a move that hasn't worked over the years let's hope it works this time," Manjrekar added.

The former India batter also dismissed suggestions that Mohammed Amir and Shaheen Shah Afridi would pose a threat to the Indian batters in the clash between the two arch-rivals on June 9.

"Mohammed Amir played his last international T20 seven years back. We have no idea what his form is like today. Shaheen Afridi is not the same bowler that he was two years ago.

"India have handled him really well, if you remember the Asia Cup, even in the 50-overs World Cup we had a one-sided match. I do not see Pakistan as a major threat to India, plus the names (of) Mohammed Amir and Shaheen Shah Afridi. I do not think this is a problem for India,” he added.

Irfan Pathan, meanwhile, termed left-arm spinner Imad Wasim as a threat.

"As a left-arm spinner with the new ball, he is not bad. He is smart, bowls stumps to stumps and if the ball grips then he could be a threat,” he said.

Manjrekar backed Hardik Pandya to come good as a finisher.

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"My vote will always go to Hardik Pandya. I know he had a pretty quiet IPL, but go back to the last T20 World Cup that India played, the last match, semis against England at Adelaide.

"Hardik Pandya got 60 off 30 balls at a strike rate of 190 after India had got 62 in their first 10 overs.

"When it comes to T20 World Cup — marquee events — back those guys who actually excel on the big stage and for me it will always be Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant ahead of people like Shivam Dube, until we see him on the big stage," he said.