India’s T20 World Cup Squad: Rishabh Pant To Make Comeback, Yashasvi Jaiswal Likely To Open With Rohit Sharma
New Delhi: Amid the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL), the whole country is looking forward to the Indian squad announcement for the upcoming T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies which is set to start just within a week after the cash-rich league ends. With the May 1 deadline set by the ICC for finalizing their teams for the mega extravaganza, sources reveal that the BCCI might announce their 15-member squad either on April 28 or 29. The T20 World Cup is happening in the United States for the first time with West Indies being the co-hosts. India, who exited in the semifinals in 2022, will begin their campaign on June 5 against Ireland in New York.
According to the sources speaking to this website, BCCI chief selector, Ajit Agarkar, will be in the Capital to meet captain Rohit Sharma after the Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians IPL 2024 match on Saturday to chalk out the final squad. Addressing the elephant in the room, Virat Kohli is almost certain to bat at No.3, while Yashasvi Jaiswal is most likely to open the batting with Rohit, giving the team a left-right combination at the top.
Shubman Gill, who is currently leading Gujarat Titans, is likely to be the back-up opener. The middle-order will consist of Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya and Rinku Singh. Pant, who made a comeback after 14 months following a horrific car accident, has been among runs in the IPL 2024 and the Delhi Capitals skipper’s 43-ball 88 not out against Gujarat Titans the other night has just made his case stronger to be the first-choice wicketkeeper ahead of KL Rahul. CSK all-rounder Shivam Dube is also expected to board the New York bound flight, but isn’t bowling in IPL 2024 (victim of Impact Player rule). In terms of skill and pace, Dube the bowler isn’t anywhere close to Pandya but his current batting form (22 sixes in eight games) can’t be ignored either.
If Rahul boards the flight, he will be the back-up keeper while Ravindra Jadeja picks his spot in the side by himself. Among the bowlers, Jasprit Bumrah will be leading the pace attack with Mohammed Siraj by his company. The source also revealed that India are looking to take a left-arm pacer with Punjab Kings’ Arshdeep Singh being the frontrunner.
The likes of Khaleel Ahmed and Mohsin Khan too have performed to their potential in the IPL among the other left-arm pacers but Arshdeep might outshine his peers on the basis of experience. Among the slow bowlers, Yuzvendra Chahal, despite being one of the top five bowlers in IPL 2024 so far, is likely to get the axe once again with Kuldeep Yadav being preferred ahead of the Rajasthan Royals leggie. Axar Patel is in also contention for a spot due to his batting and fielding abilities.