The 2024 T20 World Cup starts immediately after the completion of the IPL. Here are five questions India would want the IPL to answer with respect to their team composition for the World Cup.
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Since winning the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup in 2007, India have only managed to reach the final of the tournament once, in 2014, and are still looking for the elusive second title.
During the previous T20 World Cup in Australia, they were handed a drubbing at the hands of England in the semi-final and were criticised for being ultra-conservative with their approach, something which they have consciously tried changing since.
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As the new season of IPL rolls out, they would be looking to identify players to fulfil certain roles for them at the next T20 World Cup in the Americas. Here are five questions they’d ideally want answered during the course of IPL 2024.
T20 World Cup questions India would want the IPL to answer
Does Virat Kohli find a place in the squad?
Kohli has an outstanding T20 World Cup record, but he has played only two T20Is since the last World Cup. There have been numerous reports doing the rounds regarding his selection and/or non-selection for the upcoming edition. Whether there is any substance in them is hard to tell, but one thing is for certain: with India’s commitment to go hard at the top (like they did at the 2023 World Cup as well), Kohli may not be a guaranteed pick in the squad. He may also have to bat at a gear above normal at the IPL to convince the decision-makers that he still suits the requirements of the team.
Can Hardik Pandya be relied upon as a fifth-bowling option?
Pandya will lead Mumbai Indians after successfully recovering from an ankle injury. Focus will be on his bowling fitness. He played as the sixth bowler during the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia and, in all probability, will perform a similar role this time as well. However, India would ideally want him to show enough fitness and stamina to hold his own as a fifth bowler at the World Cup if the need arises. That will open up several different combinations for the Indian team and increase their batting depth, something which has long been a thorn in their flesh in white-ball cricket.
Who will be the third and fourth seamers after Bumrah and Arshdeep?
Since 2023, India have used 10 fast bowlers in T20Is excluding Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh, who are currently the top two in the pecking order of fast bowlers in the format. Among the 10, Mukesh Kumar has played the most games (14), but has only picked 12 wickets and has gone for 9.39 runs per over. Others include Mohammed Siraj (two games), Avesh Khan (five), Shivam Mavi (six), Prasidh Krishna (five), Umran Malik (five), and more.
The Indian selectors will be keeping a keen eye on all potential prospects – barring Prasidh, who has been ruled out of IPL 2024 – and will be hoping that at least one, if not two of them break the door down at the IPL to force their way into the World Cup squad.
Which wicketkeeper to go with among the several options?
India have a problem of plenty with respect to the wicketkeepers to choose from. Rishabh Pant’s return has only added to the list of options they have at their disposal. KL Rahul is expected to switch from his top-order role to the middle order for LSG in order to audition for the keeper’s spot in the Indian team, while Dhruv Jurel’s outstanding showing with the bat in the Test series against England puts him in the radar as well.
Jitesh Sharma is currently the incumbent, but a fit and firing Pant is likely trump all of the others, as the BCCI secretary Jay Shah has made abundantly clear.
Axar v Jadeja, Kuldeep v Bishnoi – Who would be the first-choice spinners?
India aren’t decided on their spin bowlers for the World Cup either. Ravi Bishnoi is the second-highest wicket-taker for India since 2023 in T20Is, but tailing him is Kuldeep Yadav, third on that list. On some venues and against some oppositions, India may be able to fit both in the XI, but more often than not, they’ll have to pick one between the two. How they go about in the IPL will affect the decision.
There is also a choice to be made between Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel for the spin-bowling all-rounder’s role. Axar played the previous T20 World Cup in the absence of the injured Jadeja, but has since established himself as the primary choice, having played 15 T20Is compared to Jadeja’s two since 2023.
However, Jadeja’s seniority and experience keeps him in the hunt as well, and it may come down to their IPL performances.
