T20 World Cup 2024 team selection: 4 decisions not finalized yet by BCCI, Ajit Agarkar cricket news

With the T20 World Cup 2024 squad announcement deadline just two days away, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has set May 01 as the deadline for cricket boards. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selection committee chief was seen in New Delhi over the weekend to chat with Team India captain Rohit Sharma over some selection calls. However, the board has not yet announced the 15-member unit it wants to send to West Indies and USA for the showpiece event.

According to a report in Times of India, the selection committee is still undecided on four important areas of the game. Whether to stick with tried and tested combinations or trust the IPL form of the young players and give them a chance in the T20 World Cup, remains a tough decision for the board and selectors.

Back-up Wicketkeeper: While Rishabh Pant’s name has reportedly emerged at the top of the wicket-keeping order, the selectors are said to be indecisive between KL Rahul and Sanju Samson. Both are different types of players and there is a contradiction in form also. While Samson’s performance in the IPL has been excellent, the board has also given importance to Rahul’s experience.

Third opener: Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli can open for India in the T20 World Cup but the place for the third opener is vacant. The form of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill is not in their favor while players like KL Rahul and Sanju Samson can also be used at the top of the batting order. This is an incredibly difficult decision for the BCCI.

Fast bowling unit: Jasprit Bumrah is the No. 1 pick in the team, while Mohammed Siraj looks to be leading the battle for the No. 2 spot, but he has not had the performances to support his claim. Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar and Arshdeep Singh are some of the other options being considered.

“The team management wants to trust the players they have groomed. There are concerns about Siraj and Arshdeep scoring so many runs but one has to look at the context. In these matches, you have to think about defending the target set by your team. “You have to think – even if you make it by 10. For example, in the World Cup, one should not be compared with others in terms of their economy rate,” TOI quoted a source as saying.

The Power Hitters:Players like Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja have looked bad in the IPL this season. His poor performance in the middle order is a matter of concern, which has prompted the selectors to seriously consider players like Shivam Dubey and Rinku Singh. Even a player like Tilak Verma can be considered due to his excellent IPL form, but his chances are limited.