CHENNAI: As the senior men's selection committee led by BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar is set to announce the squad of the T20 World Cup on Saturday — more than 45 days before their first match — a few players may anxiously wait to see if they make the cut for the marquee event. Hosts India will begin their title defence against United States on February 7.
One of the few names who would hope to see his name on the squad is Ishan Kishan. Kishan, who last appeared in Blue in late 2023, never got the opportunity due to his reported "attitude problem." Almost two years later, he has led his state Jharkhand to their first SMAT title, scoring a 49-ball 101 in the final on Thursday. He ended his campaign with 517 runs with 33 sixes striking at 197.32.
Then there is Yashasvi Jaiswal. Part of the winning team of the 2024 T20 World Cup in West Indies, Jaiswal never got to play T20Is after the series at Sri Lanka in July last year. In the recently concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, the 23-year-old cracked a century for Mumbai (101 off 50 balls vs Haryana) in a high-scoring chase. Playing from the opener's slot, his strike rate was at 202.
However, for those two to make a cut, the selection committee will have to make drastic changes to what is a settled squad. Jaiswal has been the back-up opener for a while, but this being a home World Cup and with Sanju Samson in the mix, he may miss out. There is also the case of Kishan coming in for Samson especially with India vice-captain Shubman Gill's underwhelming numbers.
Former T20 World Cup winner and wicketkeeper-batter Robin Uthappa felt that new inclusions into the squad may prove to be "confusing." "I think presently, if we are to include a new name into this team unless it is because of an injury, it could cause a little confusion in the mood of the team in my opinion," he said in a JioStar pressroom interaction on Friday. "Sanju Samson and Abhishek were a working opening partnership. Now Shubman and Abhishek as an opening pair are being tested. A decision on whether they continue as a pair is yet to be known," said the JioStar expert, adding that the team management needs to work out on who opens with Abhishek going forward. If Kishan is to be selected, it is likely as a back-up opener or a wicketkeeper, again at the cost of two wicketkeepers in place — Samson and Jitesh Sharma.
Rinku conundrum
Another batter who has done well with limited opportunities but seems to be down in the pecking order is Rinku Singh. The UP batter rose to fame in the IPL for his abilities to finish matches. In this year's Asia Cup, he faced only one ball in the final against Pakistan, finishing the match with a four. Since his time as coach, the team management has preferred batting all-rounders over specialists in the middle order. Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube - both good power hitters - are likely to cement their spots. There is also Washington Sundar and Axar Patel.
"It's tough actually for Rinku. It's unfortunate that he doesn't find himself a spot in this team so far. Given the fact that they have both Samson as a third opener at this point in time and they have Jitesh as a finisher as well, so you need two wicket keepers when you go into a big tournament like this. One of them was going to get cut at some point. It was going to be either Samson or it was going to be Rinku Singh because Shubman came into the squad. And given that Shubman is playing now at the top of the order, you always want to have a reserve wicket keeper in your 15. So, Samson, I think kept his spot because of that," Uthappa explained.
