Australian Pace Great Says India's Team Selection For T20 World Cup "Risky". Here's Why

India's squad composition for the T20 World Cup seems a "bit risky" as they are probably "a pacer short" for the bouncy pitches Down Under, feels former Australia speedster Mitchell Johnson. The skillful Mohammed Shami has been kept on standby which has surprised a few experts of the game as Indian selectors kept faith on the quartet led by Jasprit Bumrah with Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel and Arshdeep Singh in its ranks. "If you got an all-rounder (fast bowling) and couple of spinners, four fast bowlers it is a bit of a risk. But India are probably looking at playing two pacers and an all rounder (Hardik Pandya) and two spinners," Johnson, who is in India to take part in Legends League Cricket, told PTI.

"In Australia you surely need to play three fast bowlers, possibly four in certain conditions, for example Perth. I guess they have a plan going in but it is a bit of a risk if you only take four (pacers)," the former left-arm tearaway quick said.

In Indian set-up, only Bumrah is the man who can consistently clock 140 clicks upwards but pace can't be the only criteria to form a potent bowling unit, Johnson opined.

In the recently held Asia Cup in the UAE, India were criticised for their bowling depth (or lack of it) in the absence of Bumrah while Pakistan boasted of bowlers who rattled the batters with their express pace.

However, Johnson finds the emphasis on pace "funny".

"Those kind of things are funny (That all should bowl at 145 plus). If someone can bowl 145 plus, you don't need another guy bowling at the same pace. You need guys that back each other up, work together."

He then cited how Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle, two fast medium seam bowlers complemented him during the 2013-14 Ashes where England were