The BCCI has officially unveiled India’s squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup, with Virat Kohli making a return. Rohit Sharma will lead the 15-member team, which includes the comeback of Yuzvendra Chahal and the addition of Shivam Dube. Hardik Pandya will serve as vice-captain. Shubman Gill is also part of the squad.
Speculation about India’s T20 World Cup squad has been ongoing since the beginning of the year, with much discussion amid the current season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, will need to address several selection dilemmas before finalizing the squad and making the official announcement.
Certain players are already considered certainties in the squad, including Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, and Rishabh Pant. Although concerns have been raised about Hardik Pandya’s bowling fitness during the IPL, it is likely that he will be included in the final squad. There are also debates about Ravindra Jadeja’s batting form and his suitability at No. 7 in the lineup, but the decision will be made by head coach Rahul Dravid and captain Rohit Sharma.
One of the main areas of discussion will be Virat Kohli’s role in the batting lineup, with some suggesting he should open alongside Rohit Sharma based on his performance in the IPL. Another point of contention is the inclusion of Shubman Gill as an additional batter, as he has fallen behind Yashasvi Jaiswal in the race for selection.
The most significant decision will be whether to pick Sanju Samson or KL Rahul as the backup wicketkeeper. Additionally, the selection committee will need to decide on Jasprit Bumrah’s bowling partner and the extra spinner in the lineup.
Squad: 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.
Captain Rohit Sharma and Selection Committee Chairman Ajit Agarkar will hold a press conference on May 2nd at 4 pm at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai. Details for attending the conference will be shared separately.