As the deadline for India’s T20 World Cup roster approaches, former batter Navjot Singh Sidhu has encouraged head coach Rahul Dravid and selectors not to compromise on quality bowlers when selecting the team. Sidhu believes that if the selectors compromise on bowling and pick one extra batter, the tournament will end in disappointment for India, who last won an ICC event in 2013. In response to a question, Sidhu recommended Dravid and the selection committee to select three spinners and as many excellent fast bowlers as possible.

Sidhu also defended the surprising selection of Delhi Capitals (DC) pacer Khaleel Ahmed, while ignoring star pacer Jasprit Bumrah.

“My straightforward advise to Rahul Dravid is that if you want to win this tournament, you need five wicket-taking specialist bowlers. The compromise point is what causes a team’s character to disintegrate. You have three spinners: Bishnoi, Kuldeep, and Jadeja, who picks himself. Mayank Yadav, assuming he is fit, enters this side. Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar, and Mohsin Khan should be fast bowlers. Sidhu spoke on Star Sports.

The 60-year-old urged that India use their resources, since playing additional batter will not win the World Cup for Rohit Sharma’s side.

“India has a lot of choices, and they should not settle with players who can bat and bowl a little. Consider all of the World Cup winning captains; they would have chosen strong bowling choices. That is the secret. “If seven batters can’t win you the World Cup, the eighth cannot either,” he added.

According to reports, the BCCI selectors will meet with head coach Rahul Dravid and captain Rohit Sharma later this week to discuss the World Cup selection.

The deadline for squad submissions is May 1. The tournament begins on June 2 in the Americas, with India’s opening game against Ireland on June 5.