One of the running themes of IPL 2024 has been players virtually auditioning for selection at the upcoming T20 World Cup. Among all the spots up for grabs in the Indian T20I team, the wicketkeeper’s slot was the most hotly contested one when the season began: five, if not six, contenders were vying for one vacancy in the XI and maybe two in the squad.

Thirty-one matches in, a couple of them seem to have dropped out of the race, while a new (or rather, old) one has made a wild card entry.

All the wicketkeepers in the fray can be widely categorised into three types based on their batting positions. The openers (Ishan Kishan and KL Rahul); the middle-order bats (Sanju Samson, Rishabh Pant, and Jitesh Sharma); and the finishers (Dhruv Jurel and Dinesh Karthik).

The openers – Rahul and Kishan

Both Rahul and Kishan have been among runs. They have similar averages so far (Rahul 34, Kishan 30.7), but their scoring rates have been vastly different: Rahul has scored at a strike rate of 138.8 while Kishan has gone at 178.6.

Meanwhile the 38-year-old Karthik has appeared as a strong contender. He was India’s first-choice keeper at the last T20 World Cup as well. Having already announced that this will be his last IPL season, no one expected him to be near the discussions surrounding the World Cup squad. Yet, seven games into the season, he averages 113 and has a strike rate of 205, both personal bests. If the earlier cameos and rescue acts were not enough, the rearguard blitzkrieg at Chinnaswamy against SRH has catapulted him into contention for the World Cup.

With Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja, two first-choice all-rounders and the designated finishers for India not inspiring any confidence with their death-overs hitting, Karthik has a good chance of making it into the WC XI at No.6 if he continues his current form.

Who stands where?

Pant, whom the BCCI secretary backed for a T20 World Cup spot before the season began, is clearly the frontrunner with Samson close on his heels.

However, if Karthik keeps his shenanigans going, he may leapfrog Samson, and perhaps even Pant given the uniqueness of his skills.

Kishan may not be in the top three options at the moment, but the selectors will have a close eye on him as a back up option. As for Jitesh, Jurel, and Rahul, only something outlandish can get them back in the race.

Pecking order: Pant, Samson, Karthik, Kishan, Rahul, Jitesh, Jurel.