Chief selector Ajit Agarkar and other national selection committee members will meet with BCCI secretary Jay Shah on Tuesday. The meeting will take place in Ahmedabad to discuss and finalise the 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup which will held in June this year in the USA and West Indies. According to a report in the news agency PTI, Shah is busy with his political commitments, which is the reason why the meeting will be held in Ahmedabad, but the official announcement might happen a day later.
The second wicketkeeper’s slot and all-rounder Hardik Pandya’s place in the side will be the two talking points of the selection meeting.
The selection committee is keeping a close eye on the IPL 2024 as it has yet to take the final call on the second wicketkeeper’s slot and all-rounder Pandya’s place on the side. Pandya is expected to get in the final 15 as India have not found any fast-bowling all-rounder in the IPL as Shivam Dube has also not bowled a single ball this season.
Meanwhile, Rishabh Pant is expected to be the first-choice wicketkeeper on the flight to the USA and West Indies after his sensational return to competitive cricket with IPL after around 14 months.
It is understood that KL Rahul (IPL strike rate of 144 and 378 runs so far) and Sanju Samson (385 runs at a strike rate of 161) are still locked in a battle for the second wicketkeeper’s slot.
Samson has been in terrific form this season and has shown good consistency and maturity this season with the help to lead his team, Rajasthan Royals, who are placed at the top of the points table at the moment.
However, Samson’s record with the Indian team in T20Is is quite below par. The flamboyant batter has 25 T20Is under his belt, but an average of just 20 and a strike rate of around 135 should not be considered based on just one good IPL season.
Meanwhile, according to a report on PTI, it can be said that one senior member of the coaching staff will certainly go all out to push for his inclusion, but many believe that the stylish right-handed batter’s approach in T20 cricket remains archaic.
However, he is still considered a better bet than Samson at No. 5 or 6 on slowish Caribbean tracks.
Jitesh Sharma, who was keeping the wickets for India before the IPL, has dropped down in the pecking order after poor show with PBKS so far this season. While Dhruv Jurel hasn’t got a chance to keep wickets. During the last game in Lucknow, he did get an opportunity to bat long and scored a fifty.
Sandeep Sharma, the Punjab veteran, might make a wild card entry in the T20 World Cups squad after his incredible show with Rajasthan Royals this season.