Shivam Dube and Yuzvendra Chahal have secured spots in India’s 15-member squad for the forthcoming T20 World Cup, scheduled to take place in the West Indies and the USA.
Additionally, Sanju Samson and Rishabh Pant have been designated as the two wicketkeepers in the provisional squad unveiled by the BCCI on Tuesday, April 30.
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Pant returned to competitive cricket recently after recovering from a car accident in late December 2022, which sidelined him for a year and a half. He has amassed 251 runs in 11 IPL matches this season, boasting a strike rate of 158.57.
On the other hand, Rinku Singh, who had emerged as the most dependable and powerful finisher in the country over the past year, did not secure a spot in the 15-player squad. Instead, he has been included in the traveling reserves along with Shubman Gill, Avesh Khan, and Khaleel Ahmed. Despite averaging 89 and maintaining a strike rate of 176.23 in 11 innings since his T20I debut last August, Singh has had a below-par IPL campaign this year. In 9 innings for KKR in the ongoing tournament, he has only managed to score 123 runs at a strike rate of 150.
Rinku Singh’s position has been filled by Shivam Dube, who has notably improved his performance against fast bowling in the ongoing IPL. Despite limited opportunities to showcase his bowling skills, the powerful left-handed batsman has amassed 350 runs at a strike rate of 172.41 in nine matches so far. Dube has also made a positive impact in his sporadic appearances for the national team over the past year.
Yuzvendra Chahal, with 96 wickets in 80 T20Is, last played a T20I in August 2023 and has been absent from the national side in all formats since then. However, his impressive performance in the ongoing IPL, where he has taken 13 wickets in 9 innings with an economy rate of 9.00 despite batsmen dominating, has bolstered his case for selection.
Similarly, Sanju Samson, captaining Rajasthan Royals, earns a spot back in the national team due to his consistent run-scoring at a brisk pace in the tournament. Despite making his T20I debut in 2015, he has been on the periphery of the national side, featuring in only 25 matches, with his last appearance in January 2024. With just one half-century and a strike rate of 133.09 in international T20s, he is yet to establish himself firmly at the international level.
The quartet of Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, and Yuzvendra Chahal will form India’s spin attack, while the selectors have opted for three main pacers – Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Arshdeep Singh.
The remaining squad members are in line with expectations. Hardik Pandya has been appointed as the vice-captain under Rohit Sharma, with Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, and Suryakumar Yadav rounding out the batting lineup.
India will commence their T20 World Cup campaign against Ireland on June 5 at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York, where three of their group stage matches will be held. Subsequently, they will face Pakistan and USA at the same venue on June 9 and 12 respectively before traveling to Lauderhill to take on Canada on June 15.
Indian Cricket Team To Leave for US on 21st May
The Indian team is scheduled to depart for the Twenty20 World Cup in the US on May 21, immediately after the conclusion of the IPL league stage. It is understood that players not involved in the IPL playoffs will travel in the first batch alongside all members of Rahul Dravid’s support staff. The second batch, including those participating in the IPL final on May 26, will join them later.
Upon arrival in New York, where they will play three league matches on June 5 (against Ireland), June 9 (against Pakistan), and June 12 (against hosts USA), the team plans to hold a camp. Practice facilities are being arranged by the International Cricket Council (ICC) at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, located 30 km from Manhattan, with approximately six drop-in practice pitches available.
In contrast, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has mandated that its players involved in the IPL must return home by May 22. This directive impacts their availability for the IPL playoffs, which commence on May 21, as England is set to engage in a four-match series against Pakistan. Consequently, many English players will not be accessible to their IPL franchises during the playoffs.
