While BCCI came up with a decent T20 World Cup squad for India, the exclusion of Rinku Singh and Shubman Gill has raised eyebrows.
Team India’s T20 World Cup squad is out, and as expected, there aren’t many surprises in the team for the tournament. While Sanju Samson and Yuzvendra Chahal would be ecstatic to be named in the team, they are proven performers and have been excellent in the IPL 2024, that only catapulted their inclusion in the team.
Exclusion of Rinku Singh & Shubman Gill
But what is really baffling is the likes of Rinku Singh and Shubman Gill not getting a chance in the T20 World cup squad. In fact, the duo made the team as reserves, but that hardly counts. To that effect, Avesh Khan, and KL Rahul were also not included in the team, which is a bit surprising as well.
IPL 2024 in Stats
If just IPL 2024 is concerned, the exclusion of Rinku Singh and Shubman Gill is justified, but then, it is not prudent to look at just this year’s performances. Rinku, in the nine matches he has played has scored only 123 runs at an average of 20, at a strike rate of 150. But what needs to be noted here is, he has managed to play only 82 deliveries, and KKR batting has largely been solid with Phil Salt, Sunil Narine, Venkatesh Iyer, and Shreyas Iyer. Then Andre Russell has been okayish too. So it is clearly a case of him not getting enough chances.
More on Rinku
On the other hand, Gill despite scoring heavily has been excluded, which is also surprising. While Gill has scored 320 runs in 10 matches, at an average of 35, but that didn’t prove enough. Instead, he was pipped by Yashasvi Jaiswal, who struck 249 in nine matches, at an average of 31. One could argue that Gill’s strike rate of 140 wasn’t the best, but his replacement, Jaiswal too has a rate of 154, which isn’t out of the world.
Unfortunate Avesh Khan
While in pacers, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Arshdeep Singh have been selected, but apart from the Gujarat bowler, there isn’t any bowler who could bowl in the death. That is where Team India would miss Avesh Khan. The RR bowler has been exceptional in IPL 2024 has nine wickets from as many matches, but what is brilliant is, his economy in the death overs, that is only 9.75. So, that would also count as a major surprise miss.
Editors pick
