India's T20 World Cup squad – A conundrum solved, a big name omitted

By Amarnath Devaji

Leading up to India's squad announcement, there was intense speculation surrounding several positions in the team.

However, all conjecture ended when the BCCI revealed their 15-member squad for the marquee event in West Indies and USA, with Rohit Sharma leading the team and Hardik Pandya named his deputy on Tuesday, 30 April.

ALSO READ: India announce squad for Men's T20 World Cup 2024

Here are the five major talking points:

Rishabh Pant is back

Rishabh Pant's return to competitive cricket has been a testament to his resilience and determination.

A near-fatal car accident in December 2022 kept him away from the game for 14 months, but Pant embarked on a challenging journey of recovery and rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) thereafter, undergoing surgery and extensive therapy for the multiple injuries sustained, including damage to three ligaments in his right knee.

After just a few appearances in the ongoing Indian Premier League, the 26-year-old has showcased glimpses of his best form, excelling both with the gloves and the bat.

It did take Pant a few games to shake off the rust, but with three half-centuries thereafter, he finds himself among the top-five run-getters in the tournament with 398 runs at a strike rate of 158.56.

The journey back has been arduous, painful and, by Pant's own admission, filled with doubts. But the comeback has proved without a shadow of a doubt that the setbacks are well and truly in the rearview mirror.

Samson, Chahal recalled

Two of the biggest points of contention ahead of India’s squad announcement were the choice of wicketkeeper and wrist-spinner.

With Rishabh Pant and Kuldeep Yadav certainties after their performances so far in the IPL, two places remained up for grabs. Sanju Samson and Yuzvendra Chahal have seized their opportunities and earned recalls with impressive displays in the ongoing tournament.

Chahal's absence from the Indian team since August 2023 had raised doubts about his standing in the white-ball setup, especially after he missed significant tournaments like the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 in India, and four bilateral T20I series.

However, his recent IPL performances – he is the fifth highest wicket-taker with 13 scalps in nine matches, and became the first-ever player to take 200 wickets in the tournament history – have orchestrated a remarkable comeback.

His teammate and captain at the Rajasthan Royals Samson too is back in India colours, and for the very first time, in the squad for an ICC event. Samson has been prolific both as a batter and captain, scoring 385 runs in nine IPL innings at a strike rate of 161.08 while leading the Royals to eight wins in nine matches.

The addition of the duo adds much-needed depth to the side as well as valuable experience to the Indian line-up, with the duo hopeful of making their T20 World Cup debuts in the Caribbean and USA.

KL Rahul misses out

He was a mainstay in the Indian batting lineup in the last two T20 World Cups and a pillar in the most recent 50-over World Cup, but Rahul failed to find a place in India’s squad for the T20 World Cup.

Despite his notable knocks, including aggregating 378 runs in nine games this IPL, Rahul found himself in a competitive tussle, contending for both the opening slot and the wicketkeeper position.

However, despite his improved form, the 32-year-old didn't make the cut for either the main squad or the reserve list.

While Rahul has demonstrated his prowess as a middle-order asset in ODIs and the 2023 Cricket World Cup, his predominance as an opener in the shortest format may have influenced the selectors' decision, given all of Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli play the role as well. 

Despite his versatility and consistency, the competition for spots in the squad left Rahul without a place in the 15.

Shivam Dube in, Rinku Singh out

Former India stalwart Yuvraj Singh, ahead of his announcement as an ambassador of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 last week, sat down with the ICC and predicted the inclusion of Shivam Dube in the squad – he was proved right.

The 30-year-old Dube has been a presence in the IPL for a while, but has experienced a resurgence since joining the Chennai Super Kings in 2022. Last IPL season, he achieved a milestone by amassing over 400 runs in an IPL season for the first time. His upward trajectory has continued since.

So far in the ongoing IPL, Dube has already accumulated 350 runs in nine matches, boasting a strike rate of 172.41. Dube has also notably enhanced his ability to handle pace bowlers, a facet of his game that was previously overshadowed by his reputation as a spin-hitter.

Dube's remarkable surge in form, coupled with Rinku Singh's comparatively subdued performance in the IPL, has led to the latter being relegated to the reserve list. Not too long ago, Rinku was considered a surefire inclusion in India's T20I lineup, boasting an impressive average of 89 and a striking rate of 176.23 in 15 matches for the national team.

However, this season at the Kolkata Knight Riders, the 26-year-old has experienced fluctuations in his role and form. Being utilised up and down the batting order, he has managed to score only 120 runs in nine games, which has perhaps cost him a place in the T20 World Cup squad.

India opt for spin-heavy approach

India's bowling lineup for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 leans heavily towards spin, with Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, and Yuzvendra Chahal all specialists in the art.

The pace department features only three frontline seamers: Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Arshdeep Singh. The strategy is likely informed by the expected spin-friendly conditions in the West Indies and USA.

India have further seam-bowling options in their ranks – vice-captain Hardik Pandya is their premium fast-bowling all-rounder, even if his recent form with the ball has been underwhelming. Dube, meanwhile, hasn’t bowled a single ball in the IPL in the current or the previous season, though he has rolled his arm over consistently in the domestic circuit.

With two spin-bowling all-rounders in Jadeja and Axar, India will likely lineup with a spin-heavy approach, adding depth to their batting while maintaining a formidable spin attack.