With the 2024 T20 World Cup in mind, India’s transition in the shortest format seems well and truly underway after the BCCI on Wednesday added two more youngsters to the squad for the upcoming away series against West Indies. The Men in Blue will be led by Hardik Pandya for the T20Is against the Windies, and what’s even more interesting is not the absence of veterans Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, but the inclusion of youngsters like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tilak Varma.
They headline the young Team India setup that also consists of the likes of wicketkeeper batters Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan, while another IPL starlet Shubman Gill also retains his place in the squad.
Axar Patel is back in the squad and so is Avesh Khan, but it’s safe to say that there were a few surprising exclusions.
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One of them is that of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter Ruturaj Gaikwad.
Ruturaj Gaikwad
Gaikwad had a stellar IPL season with the five-time champions in 2023, amassing 590 runs from 16 matches at a strike rate of 147.50. However, four half-centuries and numerous solid opening partnerships later, the 26-year-old failed to find a place in the India T20I squad against the Windies. But, why?
One reason might be due to the packed cricketing calendar. Gaikwad had already been picked for the Tests and ODIs against West Indies but with the away series against Ireland later in August and the Asian Games in China post that, the Indian team management might have been cautious in their call.
The competition for the openers’ slot in the T20I side is also quite intense. Shubman Gill, India’s ‘next big thing’, has been in and around the Men in Blue setup for quite a while now, and it was always going to be difficult to leave him out.
And with Yashasvi Jaiswal having impressed with his fearless and ‘come-what-may’ kind of batting in IPL 2023, it was maybe just a matter of time before the 21-year-old broke into the side.
Ishan Kishan, another usual suspect, has played 25 of his 27 T20Is for India as an opener, having scored 629 runs.
Rinku Singh
Not long ago, Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) Rinku Singh decimated Gujarat Titans (GT) with his six-hitting rampage in IPL 2023. That will definitely live in the memories of Rinku and many of his fans, but on Wednesday, his exclusion from India’s T20I squad against West Indies came as a shocking development to many.
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Had he been in the squad, Rinku could have been a potent finisher, possibly coming in at number six to see off the game. News agency PTI had also reported in June that Rinku and Jitesh were in line for the T20I squad, but part of the reason for Rinku’s exclusion could be that he may well be preferred for the Ireland T20Is. Speaking of which, there is only a week’s gap between the conclusion of the West Indies T20Is and the start of the Ireland series.
And while the BCCI has not made any official announcement on the squad, there might also be a possibility of Rinku Singh featuring in India’s squad for the Asian Games in China, which starts on 23 September.
Jitesh Sharma
Like Rinku Singh and Ruturaj Gaikwad, Jitesh Sharma has also proved himself on the IPL platform. Jitesh scored 309 runs in IPL 2023 at a strike rate of 156.06. Jitesh has already received backing from former international stars like Kevin Pietersen, who said he could be the perfect replacement for Rishabh Pant.
But, the competition for spots is so much that a talent like Jitesh had to be sacrificed, at least for now.
India already have Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan as wicketkeeper-batters, so to fit in a third keeper-batter was always going to be a challenge.
It’s fair to note that Jitesh Sharma was in fact called up as a replacement for Sanju Samson during India’s home series against Sri Lanka and New Zealand this year, but did not get a game.
But who knows, maybe Jitesh Sharma’s opportunity is just around the corner, with the Ireland series and the Asian Games coming up.
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