Navjot Singh Sidhu said, “India has five spinners in the squad, so there are no second chances in the Champions Trophy.”

Navjot Singh Sidhu, a former cricket player and broadcaster, has shared his thoughts on India’s team selection and the choice to include five spinners.

There is room for error at such competitions, Sidhu said, adding that no team has ever chosen such a spin-oriented bowling unit in the history of any tournament. Sidhu further pointed out that New Zealand, India’s group-stage rivals, has important left-handed batsmen like Tom Latham, Devon Conway, and Rachin Ravindra, which makes the off-spinner a vital tool.

Sidhu reminisced about his playing days for India, saying that players like Madan Lal and Roger Binny helped the team win games during the 1983 ODI World Cup, which India won under Kapil Dev of course. Notably, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja—three of India’s five spin options—are all-rounders. The two specialized spinners are Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav.

“There’s a reason why no team has ever had five spinners in the lineup before. In the Champions Trophy, there are no second chances. New Zealand has three left-handers in its squad: Tom Latham, Rachin Ravindra, and Devon Conway.

“You need an off-spinner against them,” Navjot Singh Sidhu said on JioHotstar’s Greatest Rivalry Returns.

Since Roger Binny’s time, this has been a custom. All-rounders like Madan Lal and Roger Binny helped us win games back in 1983 when nobody gave us a chance. In a same vein, India currently boasts talented all-round players who give the team depth. Dubai is not to be taken lightly; these are quite different situations from Sharjah,” he continued.

When India plays Pakistan on Sunday, February 23, all eyes will be on Rohit Sharma and company. Pakistan lost against New Zealand, while India defeated Bangladesh handily to start the campaign. As a result, their next two games are must-win matches.