Rohit Sharma and Ajit Agarkar addressed the press on May 2nd discussing the much-debated T20 World Cup selections.
The BCCI selectors committee, consisting of Ajit Agarkar and Rohit Sharma, attended the press meeting on May 2nd and addressed several concerning issues regarding the squad selection of India for the T20 World Cup.
Hardik Pandya has been a person of concern for his poor form in the IPL; however, Ajit Agarkar has backed him amidst the criticisms. “Nothing was discussed on vice-captaincy. He has gotten through all games so far for the Mumbai Indians. We have a month and a little bit for our first game. As long as he is fit, there is no replacement for what he can do. He’s coming after a longish layoff. We are hoping he’s working on it. Especially the way he bowls, he’ll give (captain) Rohit a lot of balance and options,” said Agarkar.
However, the selector played it down when asked about Virat Kohli’s strike rate criticism. “We haven’t been discussing Kohli’s strike rate. There is a difference between the IPL and international cricket. You need experience. We have enough balance and power in the team. You look and try to take positives from what is happening in IPL. The pressure of a World Cup game is different,” said Agarkar, highlighting Virat Kohli’s experience with his performance.
When asked about Rinku Singh’s omission, Agarkar remarked, “He has done nothing wrong, even Shubman Gill. There are a couple of wrist-spinners on the team to give Rohit more options.” KL Rahul’s omission was also addressed by Agarkar, as he said, “I feel Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson are doing incredible, and they are perfect for us. Rahul is batting at the top; we need someone who can bat in the middle.”
Indian skipper Rohit Sharma also addressed the questions about leaving out spinners. “I wanted four spinners in the squad. I won’t say the reason for that here; I’ll let you know in the USA. We discussed the option of adding an off-spinner. Unfortunately, Washi hasn’t played much cricket. It was between Asha and Axar. We thought having two left-arm spinners and Axar has been good since the 50-over world cup.”
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Notably, besides these major talking points, Sharma also shared that the selections were not based on IPL performances and were discussed long before the tournament began. Upon being asked questions about the bowling lineup, playing XI, and opening batters, Sharma chose to keep it diplomatically cryptic. “I don’t know how the pitch will be in the USA; I cannot guarantee what our playing XI will be like. We will decide based on practice and the combination of our opposition,” the Indian captain concluded.
Last Updated on May 2, 2024
