Cricket

Zaheer Khan reveals his India squad for T20 World Cup 2024; names Rishabh Pant as the sole wicketkeeper

April 28, 2024

Zaheer Khan picks Rishabh Pant in his T20 World Cup squad

The T20 World Cup 2024 is on the horizon, and the cricketing world is abuzz with excitement. Set against the backdrop of electrifying performances and nail-biting encounters, this tournament promises to be a spectacle like no other. As nations gear up to showcase their prowess on the grand stage, all eyes are on major teams such as India – who are well known for their cricketing legacy and formidable talent pool.

Expectations of fans

The T20 World Cup stands as a chance for Team India to assert their supremacy in the shortest version of cricket. With a mix of seasoned players and emerging talents, they seek to make a lasting mark in cricket history. Led by Rohit Sharma, India harbors ambitions of ending their trophy drought, which has persisted since their last ICC victory in 2013.

Zaheer Khan picks his ideal team

Zaheer Khan, celebrated for his sharp cricketing insight, has carefully selected a squad characterized by versatility, skill, and composure. When it came to the batters, the former India pacer made some anticipated selections and deliberated between Gujarat Titans’ skipper Shubman Gill and Rajasthan Royals’ opener Yashasvi Jaiswal for the opening position alongside Rohit.

“The toughest decision the selectors will have to make will be choosing one opener out of two terrific options. Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal, I think only one of them will make it because the think-tank will want flexibility in the team,” said Zaheer in a discussion on JioCinema.

Yash Dayal makes his entrance in Zaheer’s squad

Zaheer’s squad selection was notably intriguing with the inclusion of Yash Dayal, who hails from Uttar Pradesh in domestic cricket and plays for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Zaheer considered Mohammed Shami‘s injury absence when finalizing his squad.

“When I talk about Yash Dayal, it’s a floating spot when the 15 are announced because Mohammed Shami will not be available for the tournament. He’s one bowler that if you need someone to bowl up, you have Yash Dayal. If you want a back-end bowler and if Siraj’s form is spotty, he can be used there as well,” explained Zak.

Also READ: Jhulan Goswami reveals her India’s T20 World Cup 2024 squad; no place for KL Rahul

Zaheer picks Rishabh Pant as the only keeper

Zaheer opted for Rishabh Pant, the captain of Delhi Capitals, as the sole wicket-keeper in his squad, foregoing other contenders such as Sanju Samson, KL Rahul, and Ishan Kishan. Zaheer’s decision to include only Pant as the wicket-keeper in his squad was driven by his emphasis on bolstering the pace bowling department with four dedicated bowlers. He prioritized maintaining a strong pace attack over accommodating an additional wicket-keeper, recognizing the depth of alternative batting options like Rahul, Samson, and Dinesh Karthik.

“Rishabh Pant is my only wicket-keeper. I have given more importance to bringing four pace bowlers. You don’t want to sacrifice a fast bowler for another wicketkeeper. You have options like KL Rahul, Sanju Samson, and many want to see Dinesh Karthik. I think they’ll focus on current players like Samson, KL Rahul, and maybe even Jitesh Sharma. If you’re building a team for a month-long tournament, your travelling reserve can be your wicketkeeper,” added Zaheer.

The Kul-Cha combination

Zaheer also opted for Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal as the spin pair. Remarkably, both Chahal and Kuldeep have displayed exceptional form in the 2024 IPL season. Chahal notably achieved the milestone of being the first bowler to surpass 200 wickets in the lucrative league.

Zaheer Khan’s India squad for the T20 World Cup 2024

Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill/Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Rishabh Pant (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Yash Dayal, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal.