Hardik Pandya’s ‘bowling fitness’ a question mark as Agarkar to meet Rohit Sharma before T20 World Cup squad selection
As the announcement date for India’s T20 World Cup squad nears, speculations are rife over who will make the coveted 15-member touring party to the Americas.
This year’s Indian Premier League holds significance for the squad selection for the marquee tournament, and perhaps that’s the reason BCCI’s chief selector Ajit Agarkar was in attendance during Saturday’s match between Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians at the national capital.
According to a report from PTI, the chairman of the national selection committee is set to convene with skipper Rohit Sharma in Delhi for a preliminary discussion on the potential 15-member squad. While the formal announcement is reportedly slated for May 1 in Mumbai, Agarkar’s visit to Delhi for Saturday’s IPL match serves as an opportunity to engage with Rohit and gain further insights before finalising the team composition.
The report states that the selection process is anticipated to be relatively straightforward, with most positions already filled by established players. However, the committee will deliberate on a few remaining slots, with particular emphasis on assessing the bowling fitness of Hardik Pandya.
The Mumbai Indians captain has had a poor IPL campaign so far, both as an all-rounder and in the leadership role. His side currently reels at the ninth spot in the points table with only three wins in nine matches, while Hardik’s own figures do little to inspire confidence at the moment. The all-rounder has 197 runs in nine matches so far, with his 46-run innings on Saturday being his highest score in the season.
With the ball, Hardik has proved expensive, conceding at 11.95 with only four wickets to show. Should Hardik secure his place in the final 15-member squad, the report states that it would leave little room for additional all-round options. Consequently, the selection committee could face the tough decision of choosing between Shivam Dube and Rinku Singh to fill the remaining slot.
KL Rahul ahead of Sanju Samson
Despite the Rajasthan Royals skipper producing consistent performances, both as captain and batter, it is KL Rahul who has reportedly raced ahead of Sanju Samson for the back-up wicketkeeper role at the T20 World Cup. Rahul has been among the runs, too, and is currently the third-highest scorer in the season so far (378 runs in nine matches at 144.27).
Samson, however, is second and has a better strike rate, too; the RR captain has scored 385 runs which include a match-winning unbeaten 71 against Rahul’s Lucknow Super Giants on Saturday night. Samson’s strike rate is an impressive 161.08 — the highest among Indian batters in the top five.