The 15-member Indian squad for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024 was announced on Tuesday (April 30). The selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar has decided not to add too many surprises to the roster for the main event.
Rohit Sharma will lead the team while Hardik Pandya, who led the T20I team last year, has been appointed as his deputy. Yashasvi Jaiswal was selected as Rohit Sharma’s opening partner for the tournament. Virat Kohli has also qualified for the main event after multiple reports suggested that the former Indian national team captain is in danger of missing out.
Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube are the specialist middle-order batters while Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson are the two wicketkeepers in the team. Besides Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel are the other all-rounders in the team while Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav have been named as the frontline spinners. Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj will look after the pace department.
KL Rahul missed:
One of the notable absentees from India’s squad for the ICC T20 World Cup squad is KL Rahul. The wicketkeeper-batsman aimed for the opening slot but missed. KL Rahul had opened the innings for Team India in the last two editions of the T20 World Cup.
And although he has not played a T20I since the 2022 T20 World Cup semi-final match against England, many expected him to make the cut for the upcoming event after his impressive performance in the ODI World Cup last year. However, the rise of Yashasvi Jaiswal and his good run in the IPL as well as international cricket have dashed Rahul’s hopes.
Here’s how Twitter reacted to KL Rahul’s absence from the T20 World Cup squad:
Feel like Kl Rahul will play the fastest innings of his life today
– Vishal Dayama (@VishalDayama) April 30, 2024
KL Rahul is not part of the T20WC squad
Today he will show all his anger and frustration towards MI bowlers 🥲
He already has an AVG of 86.70 against MI 😔#LSGvsMI pic.twitter.com/zDQ0yx9zO7
— 𝑺𝒉𝒆𝒃𝒂𝒔 (@Shebas_10dulkar) April 30, 2024
KL Rahul to the rest of the team members who will take part in the T20 World Cup#T20WorldCup2024 pic.twitter.com/8xuwX2RTtx
— SwatKat💃 (@swatic12) April 30, 2024
Even though Hardik Pandey is out of form in this IPL, he will still be selected for the team while KL Rahul, who is in good form, will be left out. Not fair! 🙁 pic.twitter.com/BmhI6LJSJ5
– Shilpa (@shilpa_cn) April 30, 2024
KL Rahul opted out for the World Cup due to stiff competition from Rishab Pant, Sanju Samson and the Twitter junta.
— Trendulkar (@Trendulkar) April 30, 2024
Vice-captain in the last T20 World Cup for no place in the squad. What a downfall @klrahul pic.twitter.com/pETc4K5gft
— Gautham Reddy (@Sama_Gautham_) April 30, 2024
What makes me very happy about the Indian squad for the T20 World Cup is that KL Rahul was not selected.
We have gone with Sanju Samson and Rishabh Pant, both of whom are batting very well in the middle order in the current IPL season.
– Sameer Allana (@HitmanCricket) April 30, 2024
Talking about Rahul’s performance in the ongoing IPL, he has scored 378 runs in 9 games with the help of three half-centuries. He is the leading run-scorer for Lucknow Super Giants this season.
KL Rahul’s T20 World Cup record:
KL Rahul played 11 matches in the T20 World Cup and scored 322 runs with the help of five fifties.
Games: 11
Runs: 322
Highest score: 69
Average: 32.20
India’s squad for the T20 World Cup 2024:
Rohit Sharma (Captain), Hardik Pandya (Vice-Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh , Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj.