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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced a 15-member Men in Blue squad for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. The big-ticket event will take place in the West Indies and the USA, starting June 1.
While most of the squad was on the expected lines, Rinku Singh's exclusion surprised many. The young left-handed batter has been India's designated finisher in the last calendar year, scoring at a strike rate of 176.23 and an average of 89.
However, selectors, who met in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, chose to go with in-form Shivam Dube over Rinku. Dube has been in scintillating form in the ongoing IPL 2024, scoring 350 runs in nine games at a strike rate of 172.41.
Sanju Samson and Yuzvendra Chahal's stellar form in IPL 2024 also earned them a place in India's squad. Meanwhile, Rishabh Pant will make his much-awaited return to international cricket with the T20 World Cup.
Rohit Sharma has been appointed as the skipper on the expected lines, while all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been appointed as his deputy.
The squad announcement has triggered many reactions from former cricketers and fans. On that note, let's take a look at five expert reactions to India's 2024 T20 World Cup squad.
#1 Kris Srikkanth
Former Indian cricketer was livid to see Rinku Singh out of the T20 World Cup squad. Kris Srikkanth blasted the selection committee, saying that the youngster has been made a 'scapegoat.'
"He has played match-winning knocks in South Africa," Srikkant said in a video uploaded to his YouTube channel. "Remember the game against Afghanistan in which Rohit scored a hundred? India were 22 for 4, from there, they scored 212. Rinku played a crucial knock. He has given his all whenever he played for India.
"This is rubbish, rubbish selection. Why do you need 4 spinners? All of them have to go? You have made the selection to please a few people and you have made Rinku Singh a scapegoat," he added.
Srikkanth further added that Rinku should've been in the team even if it meant dropping Yashasvi Jaiswal from the squad.
#2 Aakash Chopra
Cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra also echoed Kris Srikkanth's sentiments, saying that he felt Rinku Singh to be undroppable from the T20 World Cup squad.
"Rinku Singh's absence is a huge surprise. I felt he was undroppable. When we used to make the team six months back, it seemed like whenever you wrote the XI, Rinku Singh's name would be first, and after that, you would think whether Rinku and Yashasvi (Jaiswal) could be played together," Chopra said in a video uploaded to his YouTube channel.
"No one would have thought even once that Rinku Singh wouldn't be part of this team. Why is he not part of the team? One is the recent form. KKR didn't help him by not getting him to bat," the former India opener added.
#3 Tom Moody
Former Australian cricketer believes Shivam Dube's ability to chip in with a few overs pipped him over Rinku Singh in the World Cup squad.
"The way I see it, it had nothing to do with form, it had everything to do with the fact that Dube can bowl," Moody said during a discussion on ESPNCricinfo. "If Rinku Singh could bowl, if both were identical cricketers, left-hand batters who could bowl part-time medium pace, he would be in that squad.
"The fact that Dube bowls, it gives them flexibility of different combinations and around balancing their side with either three or two spinners."
#4 Irfan Pathan
While there was a lot of discussion about Rinku Singh missing the plane to the Caribbeans, former all-rounder Irfan Pathan was stunned not to see Ravi Bishnoi in the squad. The selectors preferred Yuzvendra Chahal over Bishnoi, given that the former has been in spectacular form in the ongoing IPL 2024.
"If I am Sitting pretty at 6th in the ICC T20i rankings, but not in the World Cup lineup, it’s a tough pill to swallow. #Ravibishnoi," Irfan wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).
Bishnoi, ranked sixth in the world in the shortest format, has had an average IPL 2024 campaign so far, picking up six wickets in 10 games. Chahal, on the other hand, has scalped 13 wickets in nine matches and is the sixth-highest wicket-taker in the tournament so far.
#5 Sunil Gavaskar
Former Indian skipper Sunil Gavaskar feels Team India will be among the title contenders and cited that the squad has variety in bowling, coupled with power-hitters.
In an interview with Sports Today, Gavaskar said:
"I don’t know the reason but this Indian team looks a very good team, no question about it. Its got plenty of experience, they’ve got some real big hitters, they’ve got variety in bowling as well. They are title contenders, without a question.
"At the international level, sometimes you need a bit of luck and if this Indian team has just that little bit of luck, then I’m very confident that after 2007 (triumph), the T20 World Cup will come back to India."
Do you think India can lift their second T20 World Cup trophy this year? Let us know in the comments.
