The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 is underway, serving the fans with electrifying matches almost every day. However, the fans are more keen to know about the updates of India’s squad selection. The deadline to submit the provisional squad to the International Cricket Council (ICC) is May 1, meaning the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee will announce the Indian team in the coming week.
Several media reports have already led to a surge in anticipation about team selection. It has been learned that the stalwarts – Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli – will open the innings for India while the likes of Hardik Pandya and Ishan Kishan will be considered based on their IPL performance. Meanwhile, the hotly-contested spot is the wicketkeeper’s as multiple individuals are pressing their cases.
The management will also face a stiff challenge in figuring out the bowling unit. An injured Mohammed Shami won’t make it to the flight to the US and thus, finding a like-for-like replacement won’t be easy for the selectors. The same goes for the spin department as well.
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Jadeja, Kuldeep Frontrunners
Picking up ace all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is a no-brainer. He will be one of the crucial cogs in the line-up when the team plays in the Caribbean, where the tracks are slow and sticky. Also, the southpaw provides a depth in batting. He recently smashed a fifty against the Lucknow Super Giants, bailing Chennai Super Kings out of a precarious situation. Though the defending champions lost the game, Jadeja’s knock was an indication that he is ready for the World Cup.
Kuldeep Yadav holds equal importance as the Chinaman bowler could do wonders with his variations. He is also having a decent run in the IPL, picking up 10 wickets in 5 games. He bagged a four-wicket haul in the last game against SRH. Though he went for runs, he was the pick of the DC bowlers in the run-fest.
And as far as their T20I numbers are concerned, Kuldeep is much ahead of Jadeja on the list. The leg-spinner has got 59 wickets in 35 games while the latter has 53 scalps from 66 games.
The Curious Case of Yuzvendra Chahal
Chahal is the highest wicket-taker for India in T20Is, picking up 96 scalps in 80 matches. In fact, he won the Purple Cap in 2022 and is also in the race in the ongoing season with 12 wickets in 7 games. But unfortunately, he has yet to play for the country in a T20 World Cup.
After losing his spot to Rahul Chahar in the 2021 edition, held in the UAE, he made it to the flight to Australia the next year. But unfortunately, he warmed the benches throughout the tournament Down Under which saw India getting knocked out after losing to England by 10 wickets in the semi-finals.
While the experts have been vouching for Chahal’s ‘T20 World Cup debut’, the selectors and Indian think tank won’t miss him if they want to end the drought of the ICC trophies.
Axar, Bishnoi might miss out
If Chahal gets the nod as the third spinner, then the likes of Axar Patel and Ravi Bishnoi might miss out. Axar had already missed last year’s ODI World Cup due to injury and this time, despite being fit and playing the IPL 2024, he faces stiff competition from Chahal.
This seems tough for Bishnoi who is yet to make a mark in the ongoing IPL. He has played 7 matches for Lucknow but has managed just 5 wickets at an economy rate of 8.38.
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