Former Sri Lankan cricketer and Rajasthan Royals (RR) Director of Cricket, Kumar Sangakkara, praised India’s 15-player squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024, describing it as “extremely strong”. The Indian team is scheduled to kick off their campaign against Ireland on June 5, 2024, at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York, followed by a highly anticipated match against Pakistan on June 9, 2024, at the same venue. Subsequent matches will see India facing off against the USA and Canada on June 12 and 15 respectively.
Speaking at a pre-match press conference before RR’s encounter with the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, Sangakkara highlighted India’s formidable spin attack for the T20 World Cup. He emphasized that India’s squad boasts depth in batting, a strong contingent of all-rounders, and notably, high-caliber spin options.
Sangakkara, a former Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batsman, commended the well-balanced composition of the squad led by Rohit Sharma for the upcoming ICC event. He expressed confidence in the leadership of Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma, suggesting they possess a clear strategy tailored to the tournament conditions. Sangakkara noted India’s historical strength in international competitions and anticipated the team’s varied strategies based on batting depth or bowling strength.
India’s squad additions include wicket-keepers Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson, alongside star batter Virat Kohli, who has been in impressive form during the ongoing IPL 2024 season. Additionally, Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, and Avesh Khan have been designated as reserve players.
In the ICC tournament, India finds itself in Group A alongside traditional rivals Pakistan, as well as Ireland, Canada, and the USA.
India Squad: Rohit Sharma (C), Hardik Pandya (VC), 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.