Indian men’s cricket captain Rohit Sharma and Senior Men’s Team Chairman of Selectors Ajit Agarkar are addressing queries regarding India’s T20 World Cup 2024 squad in a press conference at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai.
The 15-member Men in Blue squad for the ICC event, scheduled to take place in the West Indies and the USA from June 1 to June 29, was announced on April 30. Rohit will lead the team, with all-rounder Hardik Pandya as vice-captain.
Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, and Yuzvendra Chahal have secured spots in the primary squad, while KL Rahul, Rinku Singh, and Shubman Gill are notable absentees. Gill and Rinku have been named among the reserves.
Here are the live updates from the press conference unveiling India’s T20 World Cup 2024 squad:
Agarkar: KL is an exceptional player. We were seeking individuals capable of batting in the middle order. Sanju and Pant can fulfill that role. That’s primarily the rationale.
Rohit: Being not the captain is not unfamiliar territory for me. You adapt to your role as a player. I’m accustomed to it.
Agarkar: Rohit has been an outstanding leader. Although Hardik led in a few series earlier, Rohit’s performance in the [ODI] World Cup and the timing influenced his appointment as captain.
Agarkar: If you allow yourself to be influenced by just 2-3 months of cricket [IPL], then there’s an issue. Our selection criteria were clear.
Rohit: Discussions about our 15-member squad started prior to the IPL. A century can be scored by anyone in the IPL. We only had a few positions to deliberate.
Agarkar: If Hardik Pandya remains fit, there’s no one who can substitute him. There’s still time before the first [World Cup] match. Up to now, he’s performed reasonably well in the IPL.
Agarkar: It’s likely the most challenging decision we had to make. Rinku Singh hasn’t made any mistakes, nor has Gill. It’s solely about the combination. As It’s not Rinku’s fault. It’s difficult, but ultimately, you can only select 15 players.
Agarkar: The strike rate of Virat Kohli hasn’t been a topic of discussion. We have no concerns in that regard.
Rohit: Shivam hasn’t had many bowling opportunities in the IPL, but he has experience as a bowler in red-ball cricket. If necessary, he will certainly bowl. The same goes for Hardik, who is bowling in the IPL. All-rounders will fulfill their roles as required.
Rohit: Both left-arm spinners, Jadeja and Axar, are performing well. Ashwin hasn’t had much playing time. Axar has been impressive with the ball in this format. He provides us with a left-handed option to introduce a different dynamic in the middle overs.
India’s squad for T20 World Cup 2024: Rohit Sharma (captain), Hardik Pandya (vice captain), Rishabh Pant (wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson (wk), Kuldeep Yadav, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.
Reserves: Shubman Gill, Khaleel Ahmed, Rinku Singh, and Avesh Khan
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