India T20 World Cup Squad Press Conference: Ajit Agarkar says Rinku Singh and Shubman Gill have done ‘nothing wrong’

Rohit Sharma explains their picks for wicketkeeper-batter. (Video courtesy: BCCI)

Video courtesy: BCCI

Ajit Agarkar said Rinku Singh and KL Rahul missed out on the 15-member squad due to the management's specific requirements for the conditions in USA and West Indies. Read More

The players who are contenders for the finishing role for India are playing in the middle order in the IPL Can Hardik and Dube fire in the lower-order for India? Read More

"We discussed a lot, unfortunately, Washy hasn’t played a lot lately. It was then between Ash and Axar. It was like that, we thought having 2 left arm spinners – ash hasn’t played the format lately. Axar was in good form when he played those 5 match against Australia. He has been bowling well and gives us that left handed option in the middle if we want to do something different," says Rohit Sharma.

Rohit Sharma: 'Expect them to do what they are doing in IPL. Unfortunately Shivam hasn’t bowled a single ball in IPL but he is a seasoned cricketer. When he plays T20 format, it’s about little bit of skills coming in to the picture. I will be expecting if we need Shivam to ball few overs, he will. Same with Hardik, he has come and bowled whenever needed. All rounders ka jo bhi role hai, they must do that.'

Ajit Agarkar is asked about Virat Kohli’s strike rate debate: "We haven’t been discussing it. He has been in great form in the IPL. No concerns there at at all."

Rohit Sharma speaks: "I don’t want to go into too much details because I am sure opposition captains will listen to this. I wanted more spinners, we know what the conditions are like. Matches start at 10-10.30 in the morning. There's a technical aspect involved in this. Maybe in the first press conference in the West Indies I’ll speak about it. Won’t say now, but definitely there. I wanted four spinners and three seamers with Hardik being there you get the balance. With two spinners being all rounders, then two attacking spinners gives you balance in spin department as well. Based on opposition composition we can decide what to play with."

Ajit on Rinku Singh: "It’s probably the toughest thing we have had to discuss. He has done nothing wrong, not even Shubman Gill for that better. It’s about combinations. There are a couple of wrist spinners included to give Rohit more options. It’s just unfortunate. He's in the reserves, so that tells you how close he came into being in the 15. But at the end of the day you can only pick 15 players in the squad."

Ajit Agarkar is asked on Hardik’s form: "Nothing discussed regards to vice captaincy. He has come agfter a longish layoff. He has gotten through all the games for MI and we have got another month and a little bit till we play our first game. Hope is that he builds on that form. There's no replacement on what he brings to the team, especially with hte ball. His fitness is critical and so far he has gone well in the IPL."

"I've never played in New York. So don't know what pitches are like there. So all options are open. We'll go there and figure out what players to play. One thing we looked at was our middle overs hitting. Top order hitting has been alright. Not bad. We needed someone to come in in middle overs and play that role. We picked Shivam Dube based on what he did in IPL and fe games before IPL. There's no guarantee what our Playing XI will look like," says Rohit Sharma.   

Ajit on not getting swayed by IPL performancees: 'A little bit of a challenge. You try and plan before IPL starts. We had conversations in the last few months anyway. You keep a track of performances and fitness of players but if you get swayed by 3 months of cricket then there’s something wrong in the way you pick players. We were pretty clear in our thinking.'

Ajit Agarkar on process of picking the team: 'Generally as selectors you want a leader. Rohit has been a terrific leader – six months between last World Cup and this. Hardik was captain before that but Rohit’s form during the World Cup… Rohit is a great player. It’s not like it’s forced upon us.'

Rohit Sharma also weighs in on the question.

'I will answer that. In the past, whichever format happens, we give priority to that. Us being where we are, a lot of players were given breaks (based on the format team was playing). That was discussed as a selection committee group, coaches and players as well. Ajit came later into the picture and probably did not know earlier meetings about who should be rested and who shoudn't.'

Rohit Sharma on captaining Team India: "It's part of life. Not everything will go your way. been a great experience. before in life have played under other captains. Not new to me. You go with it and do what is required as a player and that's what I have done for last month."

Ajit Agarkar on selection for wicketkeeper and ignoring Kl Rahul: "KL's a terrific player. But we wanted players who can bat in the middle. KL's batting at top right now (for his IPL team). We felt these two are better equipped at this point in the latter half of the innings." 

Our man on the ground in Mumbai, Mihir Vasavda informs us that Rohit Sharma and Ajit Agarkar are finally here. 1 hour and 20 minutes after the scheduled start time for this press conference.

Ever since Rinku announced his arrival in the IPL last year, the left-hander has been an integral member of India’s white-ball squads. Be it his ability to absorb pressure and launch a counter-attack in case of the team losing early wickets or acing the role of finisher, Rinku has done it all. He has a wide range and a game that is equally good against pacers and spinners, and can tee off immediately unlike a few who like to take a few balls before opening up. All of it should have won him a spot, but with India tilting towards having more all-rounders, it is understood that for the final spot there was three-way competition between Rinku Singh, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar. In the end they went in with Axar because of his all-round capabilities and form.

It remains to be seen who will don the finisher’s role at the World Cup as Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja have all struggled in recent times. One of the wicketkeepers, Sanju Samson or Rishabh Pant will have to do it. There is one unanswered question: When Ravindra Jadeja is already part of the team, was it necessary to have Axar, who offers the same, as the chances of playing both in the XI is highly unlikely.

Venkata Krishna B explains why Rinku Singh missed out

Shivam Dube has credited the mindset instilled into him by the legendary MS Dhoni and CSK head coach Stephen Fleming. He said that the duo had freed him mentally. 

"When I came into the CSK setup, Mahi [MS Dhoni] bhai and [Stephen] Fleming told me that you have to hit. But they never said it has to be from the first ball," Dube revealed recently. "They know doing that can be risky. In my mind, I knew that they have the faith in me, so why should I take needless risks in my first 10 balls? That plan was, yes, I'm striking well, but how can I do it throughout? I prepared myself to see what my approach should be for a particular ball. It took me time to apply this, but now I’m ready. I watch the ball really well, and as it hits the bat, I get the feel if it will go for six and go long. Special thanks to CSK. They brought me up their way and it has worked for me."

Here's what Lakshmipathy Balaji thought of the Indian 15-member squad. 

With recent scores of 60* (40) and 63* (32) in IPL 2024, Shivam Dube has impressed the Indian think tank, which is why he's found a spot in the 15-member side. The all-rounder recently spoke to BCCI.tv and revealed his chat with Team India skipper Rohit Sharma.

"When I got picked for the Afghanistan series, Rohit [Sharma] bhai told me I will [get a chance to] bowl and bat as well," Dube said in a video shared on BCCI.tv. "He asked 'show us what you can do.' If the captain tells you we want to see you do this, you feel motivated to express yourself. My only thought then was how I could perform and help the team win."

After India named their 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup, Sri Lankan cricket legend, who is in India for the IPL, remarked: "It's an extremely strong squad. They've got their batting covered, they've got their all-rounders in. They've got very high-quality spin and they've got very good combinations that they can play."

There were plenty of talking points after the 15-member India squad was picked for the T20 World Cup. Expect Rohit Sharma and Ajit Agarkar to address these issues: 

• India reverting to ageing veterans Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli
• Why Rinku Singh missed out on T20 World Cup spot
• Hardik Pandya being named vice-captain
• Sanju Samson picked over KL Rahul as wicket-keeper 
• Rishabh Pant's comeback to the Indian team after almost fifteen months
• How Sanju Samson finally broke the World Cup door 

India skipper Rohit Sharma has arrived at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai. 

The press conference is delayed further as we wait for Rohit and Agarkar to enter the meeting hall.

Ajit Agarkar has arrived at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai. The interaction is set to commence at 4:30 PM IST. 

When India made 168 batting first in the 2022 T20 World Cup semi-final in Adelaide, they would have been cautiously optimistic. However, what followed was the harshest lesson Rohit Sharma and Indian cricket had to learn in the format. The way Jos Buttler and Alex Hales ruthlessly punished the Indian bowlers indicated the modern mindset of batsmen in the format.

Sharma and KL Rahul were severely criticised for their pedestrian batting style in the Powerplay throughout the tournament. The only player conforming to the modern way of T20 cricket was Suryakumar Yadav.

However, the introduction of the Impact Player rule has improved the batting strike rates of Indian batsmen. Since the 2022 World Cup, Sharma has been trying to lead from the front as strike rates take precedence over averages. Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya have also attempted to adapt to the new demands but haven’t managed to do so on a consistent basis. READ MORE

Backing Jasprit Bumrah at the T20 World Cup this time would be Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj. The selectors have opted for a spin heavy squad, emphasising that the team will have to rely on the services of Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube for any additional seam-bowling services. Arshdeep and Siraj haven't had the best of performances in the first-half of the IPL season. However, the selectors are hoping that the duo will pull up in favourable conditions in the Caribbean where India would play if they are to qualify for the Super 8s.

There will be a delay of 30 minutes in the Rohit Sharma and Ajit Agarkar press conference, which is happening at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai today. We'll bring you all the updates from the PC on our blog. 

India are placed in Group A of the tournament alongside arch-rivals Pakistan, Ireland, Canada and co-hosts USA. Their campaign begins on 5 June against Ireland at the newly-constructed Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York before they take on Pakistan in one of the most awaited matches of the upcoming T20 World Cup.

YES!

All teams are allowed to make changes to their T20 World Cup squad until 25 May, after which any alteration will require approval from ICC's Event Technical Committee.

Which means for players like Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed and Avesh Khan -- all four of whom were named as reserves -- there is still a chance of playing in the T20 World Cup. 

Shivam Dube’s IPL form made it difficult for him to be left out as he kept his place in the squad after featuring in the recent T20I series against Afghanistan. The 30-year-old has been in scintillating form for the Chennai Super Kings, amassing 350 runs in nine matches at an impressive strike rate of 172.41.

Making the case for an alternate candidate to take up the vice-captaincy role for Team India, Irfan Pathan said, “I understand the rationale behind it due to the importance of continuity in leadership. However, considering the current performance, the selectors opting for continuity may be understandable. Yet, I believe someone like Bumrah wouldn’t have been a bad choice either.”

Is Hardik Pandya’s commitment to Indian cricket under question? Irfan Pathan certains believes so. 

“Regular participation in domestic cricket is essential for serving Indian cricket throughout the year. Injuries are inevitable, but proper planning involving consistent match play, including domestic cricket, is vital for a player’s return. But then there’s this one player who returns from injury without fulfilling the same requirements. That shouldn’t happen because it sends the wrong message to the rest of the team. When they see one player receiving special treatment, it disrupts the team environment,” he said recently.

READ MORE ON WHY IRFAN PATHAN IS UNHAPPY WITH HARDIK PANDYA BEING NAMED VICE CAPTAIN

Samson has accumulated 385 runs so far in this IPL at a strike-rate of 161.09, and has come across as a transformed T20 batsman. Having blown hot and cold in the past, he has been more consistent with his batting and in a side that is devoid of power-hitters, Samson’s presence could benefit India in the middle-order.

READ MORE

Sanju Samson’s proverbial breaking the selectors’ door moment arrived on Tuesday when he was picked for the T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies. The 29-year-old has been knocking on the door feebly, standing shyly behind it, waiting quietly for his turn to come, only to be repeatedly snubbed, but this IPL he just stormed in, elevating his game by several notches. The selectors had no other alternative, or knew no better alternative, than Sanju, whose childhood dream to play a World Cup for his country is a step away from realization.

In the past, despite his glowing stroke-making gifts, there could have been logical arguments lined up against him. Like his tendency to plateau as a series unfolds, like his proclivity to vanish in big games, like his proneness to squander starts. He was a fits-and-sparks cricketer, who was too easy for selectors to find a fault or two with, and discard. There were rough edges between the silk. He did not quite make his limited chances count either—377 runs in 22 T20I outings. But this time, though, all arguments would cease to exist.

This has been an IPL season wherein Sanju has emphatically upgraded his game, both as batsman and captain. He sits sixth on the IPL run-getters’ chart—385 runs at an average of 77 and strike rate of 161.08. Of those above him, only Phil Salt brags a better hitting rate than him (180). Only Salt (every 3.2 balls) has a better boundary-finding frequency than him in the list either. Both Rishabh Pant and he have fetched a boundary every 4.5 balls they had faced. Fellow competitor, KL Rahul, sat a rung beneath him (when the squad was announced) in the stats column, though his average (42), strike rate (144) and boundary-rate (5.4) are inferior to Sanju. In that sense, it was a no-contest, despite the vast experience and favourable track record of Rahul (72 games, 37 average, 139 strike rate) and his rich vein of form in Tests and ODIs. But the selectors went with recent form.

Read Sandip G's explanation on Sanju Samson finally making the cut 

Ever since Rinku announced his arrival in the IPL last year, the left-hander has been an integral member of India’s white-ball squads. Be it his ability to absorb pressure and launch a counter-attack in case of the team losing early wickets or acing the role of finisher, Rinku has done it all. He has a wide range and a game that is equally good against pacers and spinners, and can tee off immediately unlike a few who like to take a few balls before opening up. All of it should have won him a spot, but with India tilting towards having more all-rounders, it is understood that for the final spot there was three-way competition between Rinku Singh, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar. In the end they went in with Axar because of his all-round capabilities and form.

It remains to be seen who will don the finisher’s role at the World Cup as Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja have all struggled in recent times. One of the wicketkeepers, Sanju Samson or Rishabh Pant will have to do it. There is one unanswered question: When Ravindra Jadeja is already part of the team, was it necessary to have Axar, who offers the same, as the chances of playing both in the XI is highly unlikely.

Read Venkata Krishna B's excellent analysis of why Rinku Singh missed out

There were plenty of talking points after the 15-member India squad was picked for the T20 World Cup. Expect Rohit Sharma and Ajit Agarkar to address these issues: 

• India reverting to ageing veterans Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli
• Why Rinku Singh missed out on T20 World Cup spot
• Hardik Pandya being named vice-captain
• Sanju Samson picked over KL Rahul as wicket-keeper 
• Rishabh Pant's comeback to the Indian team after almost fifteen months
• How Sanju Samson finally broke the World Cup door 

Indian Cricket Team captain Rohit Sharma and Chairman of Senior Selection Committee for BCCI Ajit Agarkar will address a press conference today at the BCCI HQ in Mumbai in some time to discuss the 15-member Indian team which has been picked for the T20 World Cup in Caribbean and the USA next month

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the press conference to address questions surrounding the Indian team picked for the T20 World Cup in USA and the Caribbean.