India’s T20 World Cup squad: Pant, Dube and Samson make the cut

Rishabh Pant, Shivam Dube and Sanju Samson have been selected in India’s 15-man squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup starting on June first in the USA and West Indies. The squad, announced on Tuesday afternoon, is led by Rohit Sharma and has Hardik Pandya as vice-captain.

Yuzvendra Chahal, who was not part of India’s recent T20 international squads for the series in South Africa and at home against Afghanistan, has been picked on the back of his form in the IPL and is one of four spin options, along with left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav, and left-arm spin allrounders Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel. The pace attack comprises three specialists – Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh – along with Hardik and Dube as seam-bowling options.

Both Rohit and Virat Kohli did not play any T20 internationals after the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, where India lost in the semi-finals to England, up until January 2024, when they were selected for the three T20Is at home against Afghanistan. Yashasvi Jaiswal was preferred as Rohit’s opening partner, while Shubman Gill was named among the four reserve players along with lower-order batter Rinku Singh, and fast bowlers Khaleel Ahmed and Avesh Khan.

India begin their 2024 T20 World Cup campaign against Ireland on June 5 in New York, and then play Pakistan, USA and Canada on June 9, 12 and 15.

India squad for 2024 T20 World Cup

Rohit Sharma (capt), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

Reserve players: Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, Avesh Khan