The Indian cricket team for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 has been announced, with Rohit Sharma at the helm as captain and Hardik Pandya as his deputy. The tournament is set to take place from June 1 to June 29 across venues in West Indies and the USA.
The 15-member squad welcomes the likes of Yuzvendra Chahal and Sanju Samson, whereas big names such as Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, and Ruturaj Gaikwad have faced the disappointment of not being included. Shubman Gill, however, has been retained as a reserved player.
During IPL 2024, these star players have been showcasing their skills leading their respective teams. Shubman Gill is the captain of Gujarat Titans and has scored 320 runs in 10 matches with a striking rate of 140.96. KL Rahul, leading the Lucknow Super Giants, has notched up 378 runs in the initial 9 matches with an average of 144.27. Ruturaj Gaikwad, at the helm of Chennai Super Kings, has amassed 447 runs in 9 matches with a strike rate of 149.49.
The selection committee has placed their confidence in Yashasvi Jaiswal to fill the opening slot alongside captain Rohit Sharma, due in part to his aggressive batting style. He has made a significant impact in recent series for India, including a test series against England earlier this year. In IPL 2024, Jaiswal has scored 249 runs at a striking rate of 154.65.
Shreyas Iyer, who is captain for Kolkata Knight Riders, was not in contention for selection, partly due to his unimpressive strike rate this season and ongoing fitness concerns.
India's team for T20 World Cup 2024:
Rohit Sharma (Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (Wicketkeeper), Sanju Samson (Wicketkeeper), Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya (Vice-captain), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Siraj.
Reserves:
Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, Avesh Khan
India is placed in Group A for the upcoming T20 World Cup, alongside Ireland, Pakistan, USA, and Canada. Their initial group matches will take place in New York, with the first match against Ireland on June 5. The second match will be a highly anticipated showdown with Pakistan on June 9, followed by a match against the USA on June 12. India's final group match against Canada is scheduled for June 15 in Florida.
