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Follow UsThe Indian Premier League 2024 is approaching its business end. While the qualification scenario is ruling the roost on the internet, the significance of the event in the larger context of T20 World Cup selection had its own way of telling a story. Like, for how the BCCI completely ignored everything that Rinku Singh has done in the T20Is while selecting the likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for the mega event.
That brings us to ask the ever-so pertinent question - if at all, India are really serious about winning a global trophy, or just want to give a grand farewell to two of their all-time greats? Whatever it is, there are a few players who are unlucky to have missed out on tickets to the USA and the West Indies.
The second Mohammed Siraj was picked in the 15-member squad as the second pacer behind Jasprit Bumrah, T Natarajan had all the reasons to feel disappointed. In an IPL season extremely skewed in favour of batters, the Salem pacer has averaged 19.4 with the ball while striking on every 12.9 balls. Put that against Siraj’s average of 53.8 and a strike rate of 34 - you know what we’re talking about.
In IPL 2024, where going for 40 runs has become a norm, Natarajan has conceded more than 40 runs only twice in seven matches. Sure enough, Siraj has been a part of the Indian squad for a while and Natarajan’s last international appearance was in March 2021, but in his current form, there’s hardly a doubt about the left-arm pacer’s place. India could definitely have used his X-factor to have a better combination in the USA and the West Indies.
Sandeep Sharma is a case study of Indian cricket. Barring Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah, there’s hardly been a bowler who could claim to have had as much success in the first six overs in T20s as much as Sandeep Sharma.
As far as the selection for the T20 World Cup is concerned, the buzz was not to prioritize the IPL performances, but Sharma’s showing was too good to be ignored. In four matches, he has an average of 13.4 and, think what, an earth-shattering economy rate of 7.1. He has virtually been impossible to hit out. His metamorphosis from being a powerplay specialist to an all-important player in the death overs is something that India could have used in the World Cup.
It’s difficult to build a case for Ravi Bishnoi the second Yuzvendra Chahal started bowling the way he has in the IPL 2024. But for Bishnoi, who, as recently as January 2024, was the N0.1 T20 bowler in the ICC T20 rankings, this decision must have been difficult to fathom.
Take this for instance. Barring Arshdeep Singh, no bowler has taken more T20I wickets for India as Bishnoi has been since January 2023. His 20 wickets have come at an average of 21.4 and a brilliant economy rate of 7.8. If you take all T20s, Bishnoi has grabbed 55 wickets in 46 games at an average of 22.9 and an economy rate of 7.6.
Chahal has definitely done well in the IPL 2024, but his effectiveness in the shortest format of the game has been fleeting, adding a delicate balance to the T20 World Cup squad. Can we still say that the performance in this IPL didn’t really play in the selectors’ minds?
Shubman Gill is in the reserves, but a pertinent question must be asked, could there have been a place for Ruturaj Gaikwad? Since 2023, no Indian player has scored more than the CSK skipper, whose 1708 runs have come at an average of 53.38 and a strike rate of 150.5. 11 fifties and three centuries in 39 innings is just the stuff of legend.
The moment Rohit and Kohli returned to the squad, the door was slammed in the face of Gaikwad, who is a player of a similar mold and takes a bit of time before getting going. However, in another country, heck, in another era, he would have been a starter in the World Cup. Product of the time, eh?
This could be a contested addition, but here the blame lies squarely on Kishan. India played Kishan as a regulation keeper ever since Rishabh Pant was sidelined due to his accident - only to snub him in South Africa in favour of Jitesh Sharma. That he averaged only 18.82 at a very mediocre strike rate of 112.5 didn’t help the cause.
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It wasn’t like India were playing him at various positions - out of 11 innings he has batted for India since January 2023, eight were as an opener, where he averaged just 12.13 and didn’t even strike at 90. Jettisoning him for Jitesh was the only logical solution, and the only way Kishan would have pipped either Pant or Samson was by performing in the IPL - but he instead averaged just 24.4 in 10 games so far.
Fair? Definitely. Unfortunate? Possibly.
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