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Sanju Samson and Yuzvendra Chahal on Tuesday made it to India`s provisional squad for the T20 World Cup thanks to strong IPL performances but Shubman Gill and the big-hitting Rinku Singh were relegated to the reserves group as selectors went with the tried and tested for the marquee event in June.
The BCCI announced the Rohit Sharma-led squad after a meeting between secretary Jay Shah and chief selector Ajit Agarkar in Ahmedabad. Rohit and Agarkar are expected to address the media in Mumbai on Thursday.
Quick takeaways from India`s T20 World Cup squad:
1. Hardik Pandya was retained as vice-captain despite his poor recent form and will serve as Rohit Sharma’s deputy
2. Virat Kohli secures a spot, despite widespread calls for his removal due to low scoring rate
3. Samson was included as the second wicketkeeper-batter behind Rishabh Pant, pipping the likes of KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan
4. Yuzvendra Chahal returns to the T20 setup, to be the second wrist spinner alongside Kuldeep Yadav
5. Shivam Dube has earned a maiden World Cup call and was given the nod ahead of in-form Rinku Singh
6. Rinku Singh, who was picked in travelling reserves alongside Shubman Gill, Khaleel Ahmed and Avesh Khan, was a surprise omission
7. Gill, who is enjoying a good run in the IPL as Gujarat Titans captain, finds himself among the standbys
8. Selectors put all their faith on the young Yashasvi Jaiswal, who had a slow start in the IPL but regained his touch with swashbuckling hundred recently for Rajasthan Royals
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“There was a lot of debate over Hardik`s place in the squad while Samson was not debated much. Rinku was just unlucky. It was a toss-up between (Dube and Rinku with Hardik also in the squad,” a BCCI source told PTI.
The T20 World cup begins on June 2 in the USA and the Caribbean. India will open their campaign against Ireland on June 5 in New York.
India, who have had disappointing campaigns in the previous two World Cups due to their conservative batting approach, needed to make a few bold calls to stake a claim for an elusive ICC trophy.
India`s top-order has come under a lot of criticism for its outdated approach in previous editions.
Considering the core remains the same, it remains to be seen how giants like Virat Kohli and Rohit fare in probably their last appearance in the biennial event.
India will need wickets in the middle overs if they are to go deep in the tournament and that could come from the wrist spin duo of Kuldeep and Chahal, who have been reunited once again.
Playing for Rajasthan Royals, Chahal has picked up 13 wickets so far in the IPL and recently reached the 200-wicket mark in the competition.
Questions remain over the pace attack with selectors picking Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh to assist spearhead Jasprit Bumrah.
Both Siraj and Arshdeep have not had the best of IPLs but are proven performers on the international stage.
Avesh Khan, who has shown remarkable accuracy in the death overs this IPL, is among the reserves and so is left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed.
India`s T20 World Cup 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.
Reserves: Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed and Avesh Khan.
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