India announces squad for ICC T20I World Cup 2024

Rohit and Kohli should just be dropped, there is no point playing them.

Pant is a mistake to be in main squad for now.
 
Rohit is an inaugural World Cup winner.
Yes he is. Rohit should have remembered that one time India won the T20 World Cup was back in 2007 with bold selections like dropping off big name and out of the form players like Dravid himself. But instead he picked most of the players on reputation here. What has Pandya done lately to deserve selection but instead they have made him VC. Jadeja? Siraj? Kohli?
 
I hope India crashes out in the group stage itself so we can get rid of this Dravid, Rohit and Kohli for good. I used to love Dravid’s batting and in general as a player. I never realized he would be such a chicken as coach.
 
Rohit and Kohli should just be dropped, there is no point playing them.

Pant is a mistake to be in main squad for now.
Pant was not needed when we already have Samson. He should be the first choice keeper.
In place of Pant and Axar, India could’ve taken Rohan Parag and Rinku Singh/Abhishek Sharma.

Abshishek could open with Jaiswal and Rohit could be 1 down and Kohli at 2 down. Followed by Sky, Samson and Rinku.

How I wish below was our team.
Abhishek Sharma
jaiswal
Rohit
Kohli
Samson
Sky
Riyan/Rinku
Jadeja
Kuldeep
Arshdeep
Bumrah

No need for Axar, Chahal and Siraj in the team at all. Total waste of space. 5th bowler role between Rohan and Abhishek.

Agarkar turned out to be another Yes Boss selector once again.
 
Terrible terrible squad. Somehow indian selectors and team management always manage succesfully to botch their squad selection.

You cannot keep on selecting Chahal, Jadeja and expect different results, thats insanity.

Not selecting top talents like Rinku is an absolute travesty. One could have the caste angle, since its a big thing in india and Rinku is a lower caste player. Jaiswal is also a shudra but got selected (maybe because they couldnt justify keeping him out) however since casteism is deeply ingrained in Indian society i wouldnt eliminate that as a factor.

Players like Abhishek and Natranjan who one could take a gamble on also miss the boat as well. Always playing safe, non imaginative pathetic approach from Agarkar and Rohit.

Pant is a great bat but his t20I record is terrible (SR of 125) over a sample size of 66 match, which is substantial.

Bishnoi misses the boat again, does Rohit have some personal issue with him?
 
I can already tell that india is definitely not winning the worldcup, will end up in tears again..
 
Shubman Gill on the bench m

GT’s captain and Kirsten’s boy.

Pakistan should do the same with Babar!
Kristen won with Pandya. I dont why you keep on associating Gill with him. Illogical.
 
this time non of this going to happen Ireland might beat india
Its not that bad, Jaiswal alone can take the match away. For Pakistan you just need to pray Kohli does not get out and that alone is enough lol
 
These are the squads we select and they are rightly trashed by Ppers. But when India crashes out , they'll call us chokers.

Make up your minds, brothers. It's either one or the other , it can't be both :inti
We have a dud as a captain, its a battle between who is less worse.
 
Terrible terrible squad. Somehow indian selectors and team management always manage succesfully to botch their squad selection.

You cannot keep on selecting Chahal, Jadeja and expect different results, thats insanity.

Not selecting top talents like Rinku is an absolute travesty. One could have the caste angle, since its a big thing in india and Rinku is a lower caste player. Jaiswal is also a shudra but got selected (maybe because they couldnt justify keeping him out) however since casteism is deeply ingrained in Indian society i wouldnt eliminate that as a factor.

Players like Abhishek and Natranjan who one could take a gamble on also miss the boat as well. Always playing safe, non imaginative pathetic approach from Agarkar and Rohit.

Pant is a great bat but his t20I record is terrible (SR of 125) over a sample size of 66 match, which is substantial.

Bishnoi misses the boat again, does Rohit have some personal issue with him?
If caste was an issue Gill wouldn’t be kept as a reserve.

Indian selectors are just dumb, the only good thing is Rahul didn’t make it.
 
If caste was an issue Gill wouldn’t be kept as a reserve.

Indian selectors are just dumb, the only good thing is Rahul didn’t make it.

i find it hard to take this out as a factor, even though i would add that its not the ONLY factor.
 
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Rinku and Bishnoi should not have been on this list. So unfortunate for them.

MbVfcp7.jpeg
 
If caste was an issue Gill wouldn’t be kept as a reserve.

Indian selectors are just dumb, the only good thing is Rahul didn’t make it.

They are not dumb. This is by design. When your entire lineup is structured around Rohit and, especially, Kohli, it is impossible to balance it.

Kohli is horrible because he can neither hit spin , nor does he bowl , nor does he ever voluntarily open for India and face the new ball. Just wants to play risk free cricket in the middle overs by rotating the strike

When your entire Top 4 (excluding keeper ) does not bowl , you simply cannot pick a specialist finisher like Rinku who also does not bowl.
 
This thread is not to discuss caste and religion kind of stuff. So not point in discussing those thing and derail the thread.
 
It's better if people post their squad instead of raising question marks. Based on the last few tournaments.
Rinku and Bishnoi should not have been on this list. So unfortunate for them.

MbVfcp7.jpeg
India's excluded XI has a better chance of winning this World Cup. :inti
 
This thread is not to discuss caste and religion kind of stuff. So not point in discussing those thing and derail the thread.
Tbf caste is an essential aspect of Indian society which is usually overlooked by non indians when discussing matters related to India. I can understand why you think this way since caste does not come into our consideration set. My original post was connecting that factor to cricket with multiple examples of unfairness done to cricketers because of their lower caste. However if derails the thread then i would avoid expanding on my points.
 
Terrible terrible squad. Somehow indian selectors and team management always manage succesfully to botch their squad selection.

You cannot keep on selecting Chahal, Jadeja and expect different results, thats insanity.

Not selecting top talents like Rinku is an absolute travesty. One could have the caste angle, since its a big thing in india and Rinku is a lower caste player. Jaiswal is also a shudra but got selected (maybe because they couldnt justify keeping him out) however since casteism is deeply ingrained in Indian society i wouldnt eliminate that as a factor.

Players like Abhishek and Natranjan who one could take a gamble on also miss the boat as well. Always playing safe, non imaginative pathetic approach from Agarkar and Rohit.

Pant is a great bat but his t20I record is terrible (SR of 125) over a sample size of 66 match, which is substantial.

Bishnoi misses the boat again, does Rohit have some personal issue with him?


The only logic for exclusion of Rinku is BCCI selectors went with safety first approach. They had only one place for a new guy in lower order that went to Dube due to his good form in IPL and that he could bowl an over or two when needed.
 
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Sunil Gavaskar backs Hardik Pandya to excel at the ICC T20I World Cup 2024. He said this while speaking to a local Indian media outlet:

"There's a big difference between playing for your country and playing in the IPL. Playing for your country just brings out a different energy in every player and Hardik will be a different player. He has had to face a lot of issues in this tournament."

"He has handled it quite well. So, when he goes overseas and plays for India, he will be in a completely different frame of mind. And that's going to be a much more positive frame of mind than what we have seen in this tournament. So Hardik will make good contributions with both bat and ball in the World Cup."
 
Jasprit Bumrah ranked 100th in the T20I bowling rankings. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are ranked 47th and 51st respectively in T20I batting rankings.
 
Tbf caste is an essential aspect of Indian society which is usually overlooked by non indians when discussing matters related to India. I can understand why you think this way since caste does not come into our consideration set. My original post was connecting that factor to cricket with multiple examples of unfairness done to cricketers because of their lower caste. However if derails the thread then i would avoid expanding on my points.
BCCI and Cricket is one place where Caste and Religion does not matter.

I know some are trying to give this a caste twist. But the reality is, it is all about brand cricket in India. Rohit and Kohli are a brand. They simply cannot be dropped just like MSD was between 2014-2019. They have to go away by themselves. Even senior retired players like Gavaskar, Shastri say that players like Rohit and Kohli have earned the right to decide when to quit rather than BCCI dropping them.

If you look at the team, it is a mix of so many castes. As for lower caste people of the team..
SKY - OBC
Samson - Dalit Christian
Siraj - Muslim
Arshdeep - Sikh
Axar - Patel Caste
Bumrah - Sikh
Kuldeep - OBC
Chahal - Jat


Upper Caste
Rohit/Pant/Hardik/Dube are Brahmin.
Jadeja is Rajput
Jaiswal is Vyshya caste.
Kohli is Khatri

It seems Rinku Sigh is Lodhi Rajput from UP. So the caste angle fails there. People can come up with conspiracy theories about selections. But the fact is, BCCI is all about money and big names which bring viewerships. They don't care about winning which was quite evident for the past decade. They keep persisting the same tried tested failure of a selection policy. 5 batsmen who cannot bowl, 5 bowlers who cannot bat and a timid keeper batsman playing wrong format.
 
I'm not feeling particularly confident about India's squad and their chances this time around.
 
Rohit Sharma explains rationale behind India's T20 World Cup 2024 squad selection

The India captain and chief selector discussed the omission of Shubman Gill and Rinku Singh from the 15-member squad, among other decisions.

India named their 15-member squad and four travelling reserves for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 this week and skipper Rohit Sharma and chief selector Ajit Agarkar addressed a press conference to reveal the thinking behind the selection choices made.

While most of India's squad picked itself, there were a few surprising calls, with the omission of Shubman Gill and Rinku Singh prominent among them.

Calling it one of the "toughest decisions" the selectors had to make, Agarkar explained that the duo had done "nothing wrong" and the choice was due to combinations that the team wanted.

India announce squad for Men's T20 World Cup 2024
"It [Rinku Singh's omission from the first 15] is probably the toughest thing we have had to discuss," Agarkar said.

"He has done nothing wrong, not even Shubman Gill for that matter. It’s about combinations. There are a couple of wrist spinners included to give Rohit more options. It’s just unfortunate. He's in the reserves, so that tells you how close he came to being in the 15.

"But at the end of the day you can only pick 15 players in the squad."

Source: ICC
 
Rohit Sharma explains rationale behind India's T20 World Cup 2024 squad selection

The India captain and chief selector discussed the omission of Shubman Gill and Rinku Singh from the 15-member squad, among other decisions.

India named their 15-member squad and four travelling reserves for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 this week and skipper Rohit Sharma and chief selector Ajit Agarkar addressed a press conference to reveal the thinking behind the selection choices made.

While most of India's squad picked itself, there were a few surprising calls, with the omission of Shubman Gill and Rinku Singh prominent among them.

Calling it one of the "toughest decisions" the selectors had to make, Agarkar explained that the duo had done "nothing wrong" and the choice was due to combinations that the team wanted.

India announce squad for Men's T20 World Cup 2024
"It [Rinku Singh's omission from the first 15] is probably the toughest thing we have had to discuss," Agarkar said.

"He has done nothing wrong, not even Shubman Gill for that matter. It’s about combinations. There are a couple of wrist spinners included to give Rohit more options. It’s just unfortunate. He's in the reserves, so that tells you how close he came to being in the 15.

"But at the end of the day you can only pick 15 players in the squad."

Source: ICC
What combination he is talking about? Picking similar players in the form of Axar and Jaddu? :genius
 
TBH I think this is their biggest chance since 2016 T20 WC. Pitches here suits India the most. I understand Sharma and Kohli might not be the player they were once, but their bowling is pretty good. I think this time their bowling will help them win the WC.
 
The best India could do with the above squad is
Rohit
Jaiswal
Kohli
SKY
Samson/Pant
Dube
Hardik
Jaddu
Kuldeep
Arshdeep
Bumrah

5th bowler duties must be between Hardik and Dube.

If India drops Dube and plays Chahal, the tail will be too long and India will go into super defensive mode if they lose 2 or 3 wickets in power play. Exactly what happened in the WC 2023 finals.

India should select team that can score 200 consistently. Bowlers are good enough to defend it on slow pitches with Kuldeep and Jaddu as spinners.

Only weak link is the 5th bowler in Hardik and Dube. Most teams have that issue. Teams like England and Australia do not compromise on their batting fire power over a weak 5th bowler.
 
Rohit preferred sky over Samson and sky costed the wc.but rohit was not answerable and responsible for the damning loss.Again rohit picks chahal foolishly over rinku and supports his decision by saying games starts at early morning (knowing chahal won't be the 3rd spinner in any team due to his atrocious capability in other departments).
 
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First time in my life I m less interested in wc .Being watching wc since 1996.This time also same story will repeat either aus or westindies may win
 
Whatever combo they choose for the XI, there will be no one who knows how to bat among the bowlers. This will be an excuse for seniors to play safe. Anything above 180, Jaiswal and Sanju have to perform well..
 

Cricket doesn't belong to North India only

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'Why do Tamil Nadu cricketers have to perform double time...': BCCI accused of T20WC selection bias over Natarajan snub'Why do Tamil Nadu cricketers have to perform double time...': BCCI accused of T20WC selection bias over Natarajan snub


After much debate and discussion among the veteran cricketers and experts, BCCI on Tuesday announced the 15-member squad for the impending T20 World Cup, which will begin from June 1 onwards in the USA and the West Indies. While the outrage among the Indian cricket fraternity remained around the exclusion of Rinku Singh, who was slotted into the reserves list, a former India cricket accused BCCI of selection bias over not picking fast bowler T Natarajan for the World Cup.

One of the major selection headaches for India pertained to picking Jasprit Bumrah's allies in the pace department. With frontrunners Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj struggling in the ongoing IPL 2024 season, Natarajan emerged as among the names selectors could look at, given his stellar run in the tournament for Sunrisers Hyderabad, both with the old and new ball. In fact, the left-armer is currently the leading wicket-taker in IPL 2024 with 15 scalps in just eight games at an economy rate of 8.96. and a strike rate of only 12.8.

With the 33-year-old ignored by the selectors for the T20 World Cup, former India cricketer Subramaniam Badrinath accused BCCI of selection bias saying that players from Tamil Nadu always have to give double efforts compared to players from other regions to crack into the Indian team.

“Why do some Cricketers from Tamil Nadu have to perform double time more to get into? They are not getting the extra backing. T. Natarajan should definitely be included in the Indian team for the World Cup,” he said on Star Sports.

Speaking to Jio Cinema on Thursday, former Australia cricketer Shane Watson too expressed surprise over Natarajan's absence from the India World Cup squad.

He said: "His ability to put that yorker in, his variations of speed when he needs to bowl that, it's something he continues to produce over and over again. That's why I was surprised that he wasn't in the Indian T20 squad because of his consistency of performances, especially when he's bowling in crucial times of the game when batters are going strong. He's someone that everyone in Indian and world cricket is really happy when he's doing well.”

Overall, Natarajan played just seven international matches for India, the last being in January 2021, before being sidelined with injuries, following which he struggled to make it back into the national team.

 
‘From Long Island to small island’ – Ravi Shastri picks out two players key to India’s T20 World Cup hopes

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri picks out two left-handed big-hitters as key to the side’s title hopes at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.

Ravi Shastri, the former India head coach, has picked out two players set to debut at senior ICC events for India – Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shivam Dube – as key to the team’s hopes in the Caribbean and USA for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 in June.

Jaiswal and Dube were named in India’s 15-member squad for the tournament beginning next month. While the former was in top form in the ICC World Test Championship series against England with a record tally of runs, Dube has smashed 26 sixes in 11 matches in the ongoing IPL and is in top form with the bat.

“The two gentlemen you've got to watch out for, and both are left-handers, both playing their first World Cup,” Shastri told ICC.

“One is [Yashasvi] Jaiswal. We know a lot about him, he did extremely well against England, explosive at the top of the order, left-hander, he's young, he's fearless and he'll play shots.”

Shastri went on to pick Dube as another player to watch out for from the Indian squad.

“But there's someone in the middle order, please watch out for [him], because he is explosive, he's devastating and he's a match-winner. He hits sixes for fun, and when it comes to spin bowling, he can kill you,” Shastri said.

“He'll park a few balls out of Long Island into the small island, he's that kind of a player. He hits it big, he hits it long, and like I said, against spin, he could kill you.

“Even against the fast bowlers, he's worked out his game, he's understood the way to play and I think he holds the key at that number five, number six position because if you're on the doldrums, you want someone to change it in 20-25 balls, he's the player to go to.”

Dube has struck at a rate of 170.73 in IPL 2024 while also averaging over 40 for his 350 runs in 11 IPL games this year.

The left-hander was singled out for huge praise by Shastri, who thinks that Dube’s big-hitting could unlock big totals for India in the competition.

“His strike rate, which will be close to 200 most of the time, will help India immensely in going forward, getting those 190s, 200s that are needed in big competitions, especially like the [T20] World Cup.

“So enjoy it, watch out for this left-hander — he's big, he's strapping, and he hits a long ball.”

 
Speaking to a local sports channel, Gautam Gambhir discussed the qualities of both Sanju Samson and Rishabh Pant, emphasizing their batting prowess:

“Both have equal quality. Sanju has amazing quality, and even Rishabh has amazing quality. If I had to pick, I’d probably pick Rishabh Pant because he is a natural middle-order batter. Sanju, if you see in IPL, he has batted at number three. Rishabh has batted at number five, six, and seven I think.”

“Looking at Team India’s combination, we need the wicketkeeper in that position and not in the top order. So I’d start with Rishabh Pant. Plus, he is a left-hander in the middle-order, which gives you a left-hand-right-hand combination.”

“But again, if they see that Sanju can score more runs at number six or seven, they could go with him as well.”

“I don’t think so. I think only one out of those two will play, and whoever plays, the team management should back him. If Rishabh Pant or Sanju Samson do not perform in one or two matches, do not criticize them or say that replace them. Whoever plays, I think we should back that player.”
 
Rohit preferred sky over Samson and sky costed the wc.but rohit was not answerable and responsible for the damning loss.Again rohit picks chahal foolishly over rinku and supports his decision by saying games starts at early morning (knowing chahal won't be the 3rd spinner in any team due to his atrocious capability in other departments).
Chahal is a liability period. How rinku is not picked is a mystery. Rohit is done in t20s and should not have been picked. Another t20wc gone for Ind with these outdated seniors in the team
 
Yuvraj Singh builds India's best XI for T20 World Cup campaign

ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 ambassador Yuvraj Singh spoke about the Indian team at the upcoming tournament.

India have already named a strong 15-member contingent and four travelling reserves to be led by Rohit Sharma for T20I cricket’s showpiece event, which starts on 1 June in West Indies and USA.

India will embark on their quest for T20 World Cup glory next month, a trophy they haven’t won since their victory in the inaugural edition in 2007.

One of the members of that winning team was Yuvraj and the stylish left-hander is desperate to see India lift the trophy again.

The ambassador of the upcoming T20 World Cup picked out players he would like to see in the Indian team at the tournament next month, starting with the top order which didn’t have too many surprises.

“I think Rohit (Sharma) and (Yashasvi) Jaiswal should definitely open,” Yuvraj said. “Virat (Kohli) has been batting at No.3 and that’s his position. And then you get Surya (Yadav) at four, and then you got a couple of big options.

“I’d like to see a couple of left-hand, right-hand combinations because it is harder to bowl at two combinations all the time.”

Sticking to his preference for a left-right batting combination throughout the line-up, Yuvraj has leaned towards Rishabh Pant over Sanju Samson for the vital wicket-keeper's role.

Both the wicket-keeper batters have been in sensational form in the ongoing season of the Indian Premier League.

Sanju Samson has not only shouldered the responsibility of captaincy but has also played a pivotal role in the batting order for the Rajasthan Royals this year. He currently ranks seventh in the list of leading run-scorers this season, amassing 504 runs in 14 matches at an impressive strike rate of 156.32 while guiding his team to eight wins and a spot in the playoffs.

On the other hand, Rishabh Pant made a remarkable comeback after recovering from a near-fatal car accident that sidelined him for 14 months. Despite a quiet start to the season, the 26-year-old swiftly shook off the rust to accumulate 446 runs in 13 matches at a strike rate of 155.40.

“I’d probably go for Rishabh,” Yuvraj said. “Obviously Sanju is also in great form, but Rishabh (is a) left-hander, and I believe that Rishabh has massive potential to win games for India, which he has done in the past.

“Lot more in Test cricket, and he’s someone who I feel can be a match-winner on the big stage."

Despite concerns surrounding the form of vice-captain Hardik Pandya, who has struggled to find his batting rhythm at the IPL, Yuvraj remains optimistic about the all-rounder's impact at the upcoming T20 World Cup.

Although Pandya has shown signs of regaining his bowling form in the IPL, his batting performances have been below par, having scored only 216 runs in 14 matches. The slump follows his return from a prolonged injury layoff dating back to the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023.

However, Yuvraj stands firmly behind Pandya, expressing confidence that the all-rounder will deliver something extraordinary at the tournament.

“Well, the good thing is that the selection has been made. (Selectors see) how players have performed at international cricket and then they look at IPL form. Just not the IPL form,” Yuvraj noted.

“Because if you look at the IPL form, Hardik’s not done well. Looking at his background for India, what he’s done for India, it is important that he’s in the squad.

“I think his bowling is going to be important, and his fitness is going to be important. And I think he might do something really special in this World Cup.”

Prior to India’s squad selection, Yuvraj spoke with the ICC during the announcement of his role as the ambassador for the T20 World Cup.

At the time, the former two-time World Cup winner had tipped Shivam Dube to secure a spot in the squad after impressive performances in the IPL.

Dube scored 396 runs in 14 matches for the Chennai Super Kings while striking at 162.29. Though initially featuring only as a batter, he bowled his right-arm medium pace against Punjab Kings, giving India another bowling option at the T20 World Cup.

“I think with Shivam Dube, the last T20 series he played for India, I think he did well. And he’s been very consistent in the IPL as well,” Yuvraj noted. “I just felt the kind of form he’s in, it was important for him to be in the squad. I really think he can make a huge difference in the middle order or the lower middle order, so it’s good to see him in the Indian T20 squad.

“It was hard to, if you look at the guys, it was a hard squad to make, and unfortunately couple of really guys missed out but that’s just the nature of selecting the World Cup squad I guess.”

Rinku Singh was the casualty in this case, having been relegated to the reserve list at the expense of Dube. Rinku has had a below-par IPL but has been in sublime touch in the Indian colours since making his international debut, amassing 356 runs in 11 T20I innings at a breathtaking strike rate of 176.23.

Yuvraj expressed sympathy for both Rinku and Shubman Gill, another player who is in the four-person travelling reserve list.

“It was a bit unfortunate for Shubman Gill and Rinku Singh,” he said. If I talk about Rinku, obviously he has been in good form for India and he has done so well for KKR. And I see a lot of improvement in his batting in the last couple of years.

“Unfortunate for him and Shubman obviously, scoring tons of runs, from the last year someone who has scored the most number of hundreds for India. From the last two years, and to miss out, as I said that’s the nature of selecting a World Cup squad and I’m sure these guys will be the first ones whenever there’s an opportunity.”

Yuvraj was pleased to see Yuzvendra Chahal in the squad, marking his return to T20I cricket for the first time since August 2023, after which he missed the home World Cup and four bilateral T20I series.

However, his recent IPL performances – where he has picked up 14 wickets in 11 matches and also became the first-ever player to take 200 wickets in the tournament history – have paved the way for a remarkable comeback.

“It was nice to see Yuzvendra Chahal in the squad, because he’s been bowling really well,” Yuvraj said while speaking overall about the bowlers. “And second half of the World Cup, you might have wickets slowing down so it’s good to keep some bowling options. Spin.

“We have Jasprit (Bumrah), (Mohammed) Siraj, we have the experience with Arshdeep (Singh) as well. So looks like a really strong side but we have to prove it.”

India’s T20 World Cup campaign begins on 5 June against Ireland before the newly-constructed Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York takes centre stage for the epic India vs Pakistan clash on 9 June.

They will later play tournament co-hosts USA (12 June) and Canada (15 June) to wrap up their Group A matches.

ICC
 
As per reports, players like Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant, Arshdeep Singh, and Axar Patel, along with the support staff, are expected to depart on May 25.
 
No players from the IPL 2024 finalists have been selected for India's T20 World Cup 2024 main 15-member squad

gfRdHCg.jpeg
 
According to reports, Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya will join the team later, as the second batch departs for the T20 World Cup. Contrary to earlier expectations, not only Hardik Pandya but also former captain Virat Kohli will arrive late to the tournament. However, Kohli is expected to join the team in time for the warm-up match against Bangladesh on June 1, with plans to depart by the end of May
 
According to reports, Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya will join the team later, as the second batch departs for the T20 World Cup. Contrary to earlier expectations, not only Hardik Pandya but also former captain Virat Kohli will arrive late to the tournament. However, Kohli is expected to join the team in time for the warm-up match against Bangladesh on June 1, with plans to depart by the end of May
India really hit the jackpot with Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya showing up on time for the World Cup. :kp :inti
 
Pant looks in FAR better shape now then he was pre-accident. Visibly slimmer.
 

Trouble At T20 WC? Rahul Dravid, Rohit Sharma And Co. Concerned Over Average Facilities: Report. ICC Responds​


The 2024 T20 World Cup, thus, is a great chance for India to end the drought. However, a report in News18 has claimed that the Indian cricket team is not happy with the practice facilities being provided in the USA, one of the hosts of the marquee event.

"Everything is makeshift - from pitches to other facilities. Safe to say everything is very average in nature. The team has raised their concerns," the report quotes a source as saying. It added that coach Rahul Dravid is unhappy with the "average" facilities in Cantiague Park, where the side is training. The report also claimed that it has reached out to ICC regarding the same. “There has been no complaint or concern expressed regarding the practice facilities at Cantiague Park by any team,” the ICC said this.

After two months of intense competitive cricket under night lights, the Indian cricket team, sans Virat Kohli, began its preparations for the T20 World Cup with a morning training session, keeping in mind the 10.30am starts for all its preliminary games. Kohli took a break for personal work after RCB's IPL ouster and in all likelihood, he will join the squad by Friday. But it is not clear if he would be able to take part in the only warm-up game against Bangladesh on Saturday after a long flight.

Having played 90 per cent of the matches under lights in the scorching Indian summer, the idea would be to adjust to pleasant mornings where temperatures will hover between 25 to 27 degree celsius with very less humidity.

A white kookaburra in slightly windy mornings could be a challenge and to be prepared for that, the severely jet-lagged bodies need to get used to morning conditions. And this is why the support staff, before initiating the skills training (net sessions) on the practice pitches at a ground on the outskirts of the city, have decided to help the players acclimatise with the conditions

 
RP Singh predicts a slow wicket at Nassau County and suggests Arshdeep should prioritize cutters over pacey deliveries, he told local media at an event:

"If we assess Arshdeep on the basis of his IPL performance, I think he hasn't been utilised well."

"The utilisation of the bowlers also depends on their captain, in which conditions he uses them, in which situation he makes them bowl and how best that he thinks his bowler is."

"Talking about the length on the tracks in USA during an early morning start, as per my understanding, there should a bit of slowness in the wicket. So, the ideal length will be somewhere around just short of good length."

"There will be not a lot of swing for the bowlers but the bowlers with variations, not only just yorkers but also slower ones, leg and off cutters. These deliveries will be utilised a bit more by Arshdeep, so the success rate will be automatically higher for him and that's what I understand the wickets in the US."

"Death bowling is really important in T20 cricket. Bumrah may bowl three overs in the death. He is our mainstay there. My preference alongside Bumrah in the death is Arshdeep over Siraj because of the variations he has. I think Siraj can be impactful in a game when he is bowling with the new ball. Otherwise, it should be Bumrah and Arshdeep."

"Left arm pacers are always an advantage especially against right-handed batters. It is not like two or more left-arm seamers can't play together. Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra and I have played in multiple games together."
 
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan while speaking on a local sports channel:

"The good thing about the Indian team now is that they will get a chance to be in form before the Super 8, as we will play teams who are not at the top level apart from Pakistan. This will give us the opportunity to perform and start feeling good. Once on the big stage, if you start feeling good, it's a different ball game altogether. I hope this happens."

"Talking about the best finishing options for the Indian squad, I think Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube will play different roles. Hardik will have a set role to finish the game, and Shivam Dube will play as a floater, at least in the playoffs, acting as an enforcer against the spinners. He will play that kind of role."
 
Sourav Ganguly, the former BCCI president and ex-Indian cricket team coach during an interview with a local Indian sports platform:

"No, I am not worried. Rohit is a great of the game, and if you see what he did in the 50-over World Cup, I am confident he will do that again. At this level, form is about a couple of games when you have that kind of quality. So, I am not worried about Rohit. He has scored runs across the world, and has played a lot of cricket and will surely do the job expected of him."

"Hardik is different because he doesn't play that much cricket, and that's a worry. I want him to consistently play cricket, for only then can he hit a rich vein of form. I would want him to do so, and it can only happen if he plays a lot more cricket."

"I am not really worried. Again, you have to take into account the nature of pitches in the IPL, the ground dimensions and the conditions on offer for the fast bowlers. The World Cup will be very different, and the conditions in the West Indies will not be anywhere near the IPL. Our bowlers shouldn't have an issue in the World Cup is my assumption."
 
Irfan Pathan and Matthew Hayden while speaking on a sports media platform:

"The conversation of IPL shouldn't be happening, not even once. Don't talk about it, just focus on what Rahul Dravid wants from a particular player like Hardik Pandya or anyone else. Just make sure that they are focussed on that."

To which Matthew Hayden said:

"Without one word, you know who the leader is. Nothing has to be spoken. You look at each other, you understand what needs to happen and you go about it. It's music to my ears what Irfan just said, about how it is that you are not going to address it. Don't even talk about it."

Irfan Pathan replied:

"Australia doesn't have a celebrity culture. Fortunately or unfortunately, we have that. Ideally I would want a nice balance between Australian culture and Indian culture, where we come in between. Sometimes having that kind of a culture doesn't help us. But at the same time, we are what we are. We are not Australians. We are Indians. Our emotions, ethics and mindsets are different."
 
The squad has been selected so this is a moot point. But I feel like India is in a unique position as compared to other teams because of their massive talent pool which no other country in the world has. Which is why India should just select their best 15 T20 players instead of banking on names with experience. I feel like there are a number of players in India who are probably better T20 players than Rohit and Kohli at this stage of their careers. And even Pandya right now, because of how out of form he is. It's a risk but one India should think about taking in the future if they don't win this time.

The last time India did something like this was in 2007. When they dropped Tendulkar, Dravid, Ganguly, Laxman and selected a bunch of young squad of players who they thought would be better suited to the T20 format. And as we all know, they went on to win that T20 World Cup.
 
Irfan Pathan replied:

"Australia doesn't have a celebrity culture. Fortunately or unfortunately, we have that. Ideally I would want a nice balance between Australian culture and Indian culture, where we come in between. Sometimes having that kind of a culture doesn't help us. But at the same time, we are what we are. We are not Australians. We are Indians. Our emotions, ethics and mindsets are different."
I'm pretty sure if you were Hugh Jackman or Nicole Kidman, you would get mobbed by Australians. Australia has a population of 26 million. And cricket is not their No. 1 sport. India is a country of 1.4 billion where cricket is the No. 1 sport. So obviously there is a difference in the perception of the sport in both countries.
 
During a conversation with a local news outlet, Sanjay Manjrekar said:

"The moment you see a small ground, I see Chahal struggling to make the XI, because he thrives on bigger grounds."

"Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel can bowl quick, and Kuldeep Yadav has the artistry to beat batters on small grounds."

"Arshdeep offers you more variety; a left-arm seamer, who has a great range as a bowler."
 
India's Jasprit Bumrah started the T20I world cup ranked 110th in the T20I bowling rankings. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are ranked 46th and 49th respectively in the T20I batting rankings.
 
"You Got Jasprit Bumrah, But...": Glenn McGrath's Million-Dollar Question To Rohit Sharma, Rahul Dravid

There have been talks over India's playing combination ahead of their T20 World Cup 2024 opener against Ireland on Wednesday. While the debate surrounding India's opener combination has garnered most of the traction, there's another area which the team management must address, which is pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah's partner. Former Australia pacer Glenn McGrath feels his compatriot Mitchell Starc and Bumrah will be the players to watch out for in the tournament.

In Australia's case, they have two experienced campaigners in Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood to partner Starc. Not to forget, Mitchell Marsh, who is leading Australia, is another handy pace bowling option.

Besides Bumrah, India, on the other hand, have Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh as the other two frontline pacers in their squad of 15, while Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube are the two pace-bowling all-rounders.

McGrath suggested that while Bumrah will be instrumental to India's chances, someone must contribute with the ball to take the load off Bumrah.

"We saw Starc at the end of the IPL. He came into his own, which was good to see. Bumrah just seems to be the one bowler that batters find it hard, even in T20s, to get on top of. So, I think if Australia is to win this World Cup, Starc has to bowl well. A lot of it relies on him. And Bumrah for India, but then it is who's going to take wickets around Bumrah and who's going to bowl well around him," McGrath said at the MRF Pace Foundation ground.

McGrath, however, backed Arshdeep to be a better partner for Bumrah than Siraj.

"You got Jasprit Bumrah. He showed just how good he is throughout the IPL (he picked 20 wickets from 13 matches for Mumbai Indians). But it is like having a left-right opening combination for batters. It also depends on how they are bowling. In T20s, you do not have much time to be ready. If you take an over or two to warm up, the game is already over. If you have got a good opening-bowling combination, that is where you are going to win matches," he added.

Bumrah was the standout performer for Mumbai Indians in their IPL 2024 campaign, with the franchise finishing bottom of the pile.

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While talking to a local Indian sports channel, West Indies cricket legend Brian Lara believes India should retain their opening pair of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma despite their poor form:

“Definitely, India had the option to play a left-right opening partnership. They went with two great players, two guys who’ve done a great job for India with the bat for their individual franchise as well in terms of the captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. I think they’ve got to stick with it as you just said if you do make changes on top, Virat Kohli has to come in the order a little bit lower and that’s going to upset things there."

“I believe that the combination India is having and India has to back the two of them. At some point in time, they’re going to come good with conditions, the batting conditions in the USA were not the very best. I don’t believe you start making changes especially if you’re winning."
 

Shubman Gill, Avesh Khan set to return back home after USA leg of T20 World Cup 2024: Report​


Shubman Gill and Avesh Khan, two of the four travelling reserves with the Indian squad for the T20 World Cup 2024, are set to return home after the USA leg of the tournament. As per a Cricbuzz report, Gill and Avesh's travel was only to the States in case of emergency as getting a replacement to America in a nick of time might be difficult. Unless, there is any injury in the Indian camp on Friday, June 14 when the Indian team has its practice session, Gill and Avesh will return home.

Hence, Rinku Singh and Khaleel Ahmed, the other two reserve players will be the only ones to stay with the Indian team for the rest of its campaign. India play their final Group A game in the USA on Saturday, June 15 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida against Canada with the rest of the Super 8 matches, followed by the semi-finals and the final scheduled to be held in the Caribbean.

Gill, who had a mixed season in the IPL leading the Gujarat Titans was far behind in the pecking order as far as the openers are concerned and with Yashasvi Jaiswal also warming the bench, there might not have been any room at the top of the order and similarly with Avesh since Mohammed Siraj is doing well, they might not have required another pacer. Since Khaleel Ahmed is already in the reserves and with surfaces in the Caribbean offering turn, even Siraj might be benched.

India are set to play their remaining matches in Barbados, Antigua and Saint Lucia in Super 8 and if they make it to the semi-finals, then in Guyana. With Afghanistan making it to the Super 8, two of India's opponents for the next round have been confirmed including Australia and the last one will be confirmed on Monday (June 17) morning with Bangladesh and Netherlands in action in their respective final encounters of Group D.

 
If India win today, they will equal most wins in T20WC with Sri Lanka

Most wins in ICC Men's T20WC

32 - Sri Lanka
31 - India
29 - Pakistan
28 - Australia
28 - South Africa
 
Shubman Gill Sent Back To India Due To 'Disciplinary Issue'? India Coach Reveals Truth

India's T20 World Cup group stage campaign came to a conclusion on Saturday after their final match against Canada was washed due to a bad outfield in Florida. With seven points from three matches, India qualified for the Super 8 stage as Group A table toppers. With the Indian team set to travel to the Caribbean for the next round, Shubman Gill and Avesh Khan, who were part of 4-man travelling reserves contingent, will be released from the squad, with the duo set to fly back to India.

Only Rinku Singh and Khaleel Ahmed, the other two travelling reserves, will accompany the rest of the players for the Caribbean leg of the tournament.

Over the past few days, there have been rumours on social media that Gill is being sent back to India due to "disciplinary issues". However, India batting coach has quashed the rumours, saying that everything was pre-planned.

Rathour revealed that the management team had taken the call before the tournament that only two reserve players will join the team for the Caribbean leg.

"This was a plan from the beginning. When we come to the US, four players will come together. After that two will be released and two will travel with us to West Indies. So, this plan was made from the beginning since the team was selected. This was planned so we are just following that," Rathour said during a press conference.

Speaking on the India vs Canada washout, Rathour said that the decision was taken in the best interests of both teams, admitting that they would've loved to get some match practice ahead of the Super 8 stage.

"Some reserve players are being released Of course, that concern is always there when you play on the conditions which are not ideal. So, decision to play or not to play over with the match officials. So as a team we didn't have any say in that. But if the game had happened that would have really helped us. We were really looking forward to play a game, to play a good game of cricket," he added.

"There's always a concern when you play a game in conditions like this that some injury can happen. You're already in Super 8 and you don't want that to happen. That's the last thing you want to happen before you enter the serious part of the tournament," he added.

India will play Afghanistan in their first game of the Super 8 phase on Thursday, June 20 in Barbados.

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