NEW DELHI, APR 30
Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson were eventually entrusted with the wicketkeeping duties as the BCCI on Tuesday unveiled the 15-member squad for the ICC T20 World Cup, starting June 1 in the US and the West Indies. As expected, the squad will be led by Rohit Sharma, and has Hardik Pandya as vice-captain. This will also mark the return of Pant to international cricket for the first time since a near-fatal accident in December 2022 that kept him on the sidelines for more than a year. The southpaw has used the ongoing IPL 2024 as a perfect platform to prove his fitness, and has so far amassed 398 runs in 11 innings for the Delhi Capitals at a strike rate of 158.56. Over the course of the season, he has also allayed any doubts there may have been over his wicketkeeping. While Pant could well be India’s first-choice keeping option, Samson’s performances in the ongoing IPL made him an automatic choice for the back-up keeper’s slot. This is the first time the Kerala stumper has made it to the World Cup squad, after missing out to Dinesh Karthik in 2022. Like Pant, Samson has been in prolific form as captain of table-toppers Rajasthan Royals. He has led the franchise from the front, scoring 385 runs in nine innings at a strike rate of 161.08. Meanwhile, leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has also found his way back into the squad on the basis of his impressive form in the ongoing Indian Premier League. Chahal, who wasn’t a part of India’s recent T20 international squads for the series in South Africa and at home against Afghanistan, has been among the top three wicket-takers so far in the IPL with 13 scalps for the Rajasthan Royals. Chahal will be one of the four spin options, along with left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav, and left-arm spin allrounders Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel in the T20 World Cup team.
Seam bowling all-rounder Shivam Dube’s red-hot IPL form made it difficult for him to be left out as he kept his place in the squad after featuring in the recent T20I series against Afghanistan. The 30-year-old has been in scintillating form for the Chennai Super Kings, amassing 350 runs in nine matches at an impressive strike rate of 172.41. Dube, whose bowling is however, yet to be tested in the IPL so far, will be expected to roll his arm during the showpiece event in the US and the Caribbean as India’s pace attack comprises only three frontline quicks in Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh. Vice-captain Hardik Pandya, whose bowling fitness is still a work-in-progress, will add up as the additional seam-bowling option in the squad. There were no surprises in the selection of the batters with the left-handed Yashasvi Jaiswal being preferred as Rohit’s opening partner, while Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav fill up the top four positions. Both Rohit and Virat Kohli did not play any T20 internationals after the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, where India lost in the semi-finals to England, up until January 2024, when they were selected for the three T20Is at home against Afghanistan.
The left-handed Pant’s return to the squad also adds balance in the batting order, and is set to be the No.5 followed by either of Dube or Pandya at No.6. Ravindra Jadeja could be India’s preferred No.7 although India will have the luxury of a like-for-like Axar Patel for the same spot followed by the tail.
Meanwhile, Shubman Gill has found himself as a reserve player along with lower-order batter Rinku Singh, and fast bowlers Khaleel Ahmed and Avesh Khan. A big name missing from India’s list is that of KL Rahul, who was part of India’s last two T20 World Cup campaigns (2021 and 2022). India are placed in Group A of the tournament alongside arch-rivals Pakistan, Ireland, Canada and co-hosts USA. The Rohit Sharma-led side’s campaign begins on June 5 against Ireland at the newly-constructed Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York before they take on Pakistan in one of the most awaited matches of the upcoming T20 World Cup on June 9. On June 12, India will take on hosts USA at the Nassau County Stadium in New York before facing Canada at the Central Broward Park & Broward County Stadium, Lauderhill on June 15.
India squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj.
Reserves: Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed and Avesh Khan.
