IND vs PAK 2022: "Doesn’t matter if players like Bumrah and Harshal are unavailable" - Anjum Chopra backs Team India's bench strength to deliver

Former India women’s captain Anjum Chopra reckons that the Men in Blue can overcome Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel’s absence in the Asia Cup 2022 clash against Pakistan because of their strong bench strength.

Team India’s lead pacer Bumrah was ruled out of the Asia Cup due to a back injury, while fellow pacer Harshal Patel is also unavailable due to a side strain.

The Men in Blue will begin their Asia Cup 2022 campaign by taking on arch-rivals Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday (August 28).

Previewing the mega clash on her YouTube channel, Chopra asserted that India are good enough to overcome the key absentees. She said:

“India have so many options. The selectors can pick from a bench strength of 25 players, probably even more. Anybody can play from them. It doesn’t matter if players like Bumrah and Harshal are unavailable. India are looking very strong in batting and bowling. They are a very good all-round team.”

Sharing her views on the playing XI, she opined that India should go in with six specialist bowlers. Significantly, there was no place for vice-captain KL Rahul in her preferred XI against Pakistan. Chopra explained:

"I feel India should go in with six specialist bowlers. That way, the bowling line-up can be covered well, with seam, off-spin and leg-spin. It also extends the batting line-up.”

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Anjum Chopra’s probable XI: Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Deepak Hooda/ Dinesh Karthik, Ravichandran Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

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“Pakistan cannot be taken lightly” - Anjum Chopra

Admitting that Pakistan have been hit hard by injuries to their key players, Chopra warned that they cannot be taken lightly.

She pointed to the likes of their skipper Babar Azam and Muhammad Rizwan, who are proven match-winners. The former cricketer stated:

“There are some injury concerns for Pakistan. Shaheen Afridi is not available. Still, Babar Azam-led Pakistan, with the likes of Muhammad Rizwan, are a strong side. Babar is leading the ICC ODI and T20I rankings. As a team, Pakistan are doing very well and cannot be taken lightly.”

Afridi has been ruled out of the tournament due to a right knee injury he suffered while fielding in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle. On Friday (August 26), Hassan Ali replaced Mohammad Wasim Jr in Pakistan’s Asia Cup 2022 squad after the latter suffered a side strain.