As the deadline for announcing the provisional squads for the T20 World Cup 2024 nears, the anticipation of who will make the cut and who will miss out the in the Indian contingent is increasing with every passing day. Virat Kohli, with a stellar IPL 2024 so far, in which he is currently leading the Orange Cap list, seemed a sure shot for selection as an opener for the World Cup even though his potential selection has been the central talking point for ages now.
With Rohit Sharma set to lead the charge in the USA and the West Indies, it is safe to assume that the five-time IPL-winning captain will be the preferred opener for India at the World Cup; and Kohli his opening partner looking at the current form.
But is it going to be that straightforward?
Kohli and Rohit have opened together in T20Is for India in only one game so far with the former himself walking out to open only nine times in T20Is – but a plus is his only century in the format came as an opener.
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With other contenders like Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, and Yashasvi Jaiswal fading away, or not able to catch up to Kohli, it looked certain that Kohli was the best bet to open the innings with Rohit.
Gill, to his credit, has not done badly, and is currently in the 6th spot in IPL 2024 Orange Cap list with 298 runs in 8 matches, striking at 146.79. Rohit is fifth with 303 runs from eight matches, striking at 162.90 while Kohli leads the chart with 379 runs in 8 matches striking at 150.39.
Kishan, the other contender, is languishing at the 25th place while new contenders have emerged in the form of Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Abhishek Sharma while Rajasthan Royals’ Jaiswal too seemed to have roared back into the running with a century against Mumbai Indians on Monday night at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur.
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Yashasvi Jaiswal Roars Back to Form with 100
Before Monday’s RR vs MI, game Jaiswal – the bright young star of Indian cricket, was having a horrid IPL 2024 scoring only 121 runs in 7 matches, but with a matching winning knock of 104 not out of just 60 balls, he has given a timely reminder to the selectors and the Indian team management. The knock has helped Jaiswal to almost double his tally of runs from before the RR vs MI game and currently stands at 225 runs from 8 matches striking at 157.34.
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SRH’s Abhishek too seems to have inserted himself into this debate with some consistent performances with the bat. Even though he has time again been overshadowed by whirlwind knocks from Travis Head, Heinrich Klassen, and Aiden Markram, the youngster has managed to conjure up 257 runs in seven matches, but the most impressive stat in this is his strike rate of 215.96, second only to Head (216) as the highest strike-rate in the tournament for players who have faced a minimum of 100 deliveries.
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A left-handed batter and a handy spin bowling option in the powerplay lend greater value to Abhishek than any one the other opening options India have at their disposal.
Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan Falling Behind
Gill hasn’t categorically fallen behind because he is sixth on the Orange Cap list in IPL 2024. Being Gujarat Titans’ batting lynchpin, you would expect him to score more runs and he has done that at a fair clip as well – 146.79. But the same cannot be said of wicketkeeper batter Kishan, who has failed to provide consistency at the top of the order for MI. Languishing at 25th currently in the top run-getters list with 192 runs in 8 matches, Kishan seems to be losing the race for the openers’ spot as well as the backup wicketkeeper option also with his direct competition Sanju Samson motoring along scoring 314 runs in 8 matches striking at 152.42. Samson is currently 4th in the Orange Cap List.
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7 Strong Challengers For 2 Opening Slots
Now let’s look at the players who are in India’s scheme of things for the T20 World Cup squad for the opening slot. First on the team sheet will of course be the skipper Rohit Sharma and the five-time IPL winning captain has done himself a world of good by compiling his first IPL century in over a decade this season looks in very good touch. Virat Kohli is next in line and he is currently leading the Orange Cap tally in IPL 2024. Then comes Gujarat Titans skipper Shubman Gill, who is in top 10 of the run-getters list followed by KL Rahul, who after an his breezy 82 against CSK has jumped to 8th spot in the Orange ap list. He is followed by SRH’s Abhishek Sharma in 13th, Yashaswi Jaiswal, who despite the 100 vs MI is in 22nd position and Mumbai Indians’ Ishan Kishan, who is languishing in 25th.
Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Abhishek Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ishan Kishan
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