"I feel he should be there in the team" - Harbhajan Singh on Akash Madhwal ahead of IND vs WI T20Is

Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh feels Mumbai Indians (MI) pacer Akash Madhwal deserves a maiden call-up to the Indian T20I team. The Men in Blue are set to contest five T20Is against the West Indies in August this year.

Madhwal was simply brilliant for MI in the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL 2023). He picked up 14 wickets in just eight games, including a five-wicket haul against the Lucknow Super Giants in the Eliminator. The pacer became one of MI's most reliable reliable bowlers in Jasprit Bumrah's absence.

Harbhajan Singh wants a new-look Indian squad for the West Indies series and feels Akash Madhwal should make the cut. In a video on his YouTube channel, here's what Harbhajan had to say about Madhwal and other players he wants to see in India's bowling department:

"I will take Axar [Patel] as the all-rounder and then the two spinners in [Ravi] Bishnoi and Yuzvendra Chahal. Akash Madhwal had a great IPL and I feel he should be there in the team as well."

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Harbhajan Singh on India's openers for WI T20Is

Harbhajan Singh also wants to see explosive southpaw Yashasvi Jaiswal make his India debut in the T20Is against the West Indies by opening alongside Shubman Gill.

Jaiswal had an incredible IPL 2023 season for the Rajasthan Royals, scoring 625 runs in 14 matches. He has also been a prolific run-scorer for Mumbai in domestic cricket and could forge a promising pair alongside Gill, who scored 890 runs in IPL 2023.

On this, Harbhajan stated:

"Shubman Gill will definitely be one of the openers. I would like to see them try Yashasvi Jaiswal as the other opener. He has had an incredible IPL season and has also done well wherever he has got an opportunity. I feel he is ready for the biggest stage.

"They can even try him in the senior team that's how good he has been. Ruturaj Gaikwad would be my third opener."

Harbhajan Singh has also requested the board and the selectors to send a young team for the T20Is under Hardik Pandya's captaincy and rest the senior players. He added:

"This team has what it takes to not just go to the West Indies but also win the series under the leadership of Hardik Pandya. The seniors have played enough cricket and should be rested. I urge them (the board) to not delay this any further and send the young team to the West Indies."

According to reports from PTI, IPL performances are likely to play an important role when it comes to selecting India's T20I team for the tour of West Indies.