Team India Confirmed Best Playing 11 for T20 World Cup 2024

Rohit Sharma to Captain the side as we look at the strongest predicted playing 11 for Team India for T20 World Cup 2024. 

Two years since India’s shocking loss at the T20 World Cup 2022 semi-final vs England, we are back with another World Cup as BCCI officially announces the squad for Team India for the 2024 T20 World Cup. After trying Hardik Pandya as the captain post the 2022 World Cup, Team India have once again gone back to Rohit Sharma, who had also led the Indian team in the last T20 World Cup.

While the overall selection seems to be in line with the expectations, one shocking selection that failed to impress the selectors, it is that of Rinku Singh. The guy aced one of the most difficult roles in T20 cricket, and literally has an average of 80 and a strike rate of 180 in T20Is for India. But a below-par IPL 2024, for no reason of his own seems to have gone against him as India selected Shivam Dube above him for the 2024 T20 World Cup.

The upcoming T20 World Cup shall be played in the West Indies and USA. The pitches in general in the West Indies shall be on the slower side, but may assist batters in the USA. For India, the batting lineup seems mostly fixed, but the bowling lineup may change depending on the pitches. So, with the official squad in front of us, let’s analyze the complete 15 players list, and find out the strongest playing 11 that Team India can play for T20 World Cup 2024.     

T20 World Cup 2024 Official Squad for Team India: 

Batters: Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Virat Kohli & Yashasvi Jaiswal

Wks: Rishabh Pant & Sanju Samson

All-rounders: Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja & Shivam Dube

Bowlers: Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj & Yuzvendra Chahal

Coach: Rahul Dravid // Captain: Rohit Sharma 

From the squad standpoint, Team India have selected 4 batters, 2 wicket-keepers, 4 all-rounders, 2 spinners, and 3 pacers. While this is a provisional squad, and BCCI can still change it before the final squad gets locked in May, end, it looks unlikely BCCI will change it, unless there are injury concerns. Other than these 15 players, BCCI has kept Shubman Gill, Avesh Khan, Khaleel Ahmed, and Rinku Singh in traveling reserves.

India Team’s Strongest Predicted Playing 11 for T20 World Cup 2024: 

Openers – Rohit Sharma & Yashasvi Jaiswal

Team India selected only two openers for the World Cup in the form of Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal, and it seems both will be the designated openers for the Indian team. Both Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal have been opening for India in T20Is off late, and it seems India would like to go ahead with the same opening combination. If not for Rohit and Jaiswal, the other option that India can try is that of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. 

Middle-order – Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav & Rishabh Pant

Coming to the middle-order, it seems India will be going ahead with the same combination that played in 2021 as well as the 2022 T20 World Cup. The same trio of Virat Kohli at 3, Suryakumar Yadav at 4, and Rishabh Pant at 5 played in 2021 and 2022, and we will see the same combination in 2024 as well. However, as compared to 2021 and 2022, the current form of the trio will be a big boost to the Indian team. 

Finishers – Hardik Pandya & Ravindra Jadeja

Talking about the finishers, India will once again repeat the 2021 T20 World Cup combination as we have Vice-captain Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja. These are the best all-rounder finishers in India currently as the other two, Shivam Dube and Axar Patel are more of backups for Hardik and Axar Patel. But one name that India will dearly miss as a finisher is Rinku Singh. 

It is a shocker to even imagine a batting lineup without Rinku Singh, especially after the kind of performance he has given for the team. It’s honestly difficult to fathom the exclusion of Rinku Singh, and the inclusion of Shivam Dube as the fourth all-rounder. Sure, Dube is an excellent player, but if he has to play in this team, the only position is that of a finisher. However, Dube is more of a middle-order batter than a finisher, and purely from a batting perspective, Dube doesn’t warrant a place in this side.   

What’s more to worry is that Hardik and Jadeja are way off their prime in terms of their hitting abilities. Take the current IPL for example. Neither Hardik nor Jadeja are able to hit the pacers with ease as they should be. This is a major weakness that good teams like England and Australia will eventually expose. This is where Rinku could have given the cushion for the Indian team, but alas the selection, Indian finishers look toothless. 

Bowlers – Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh & Yuzvendra Chahal

Finally, talking about the bowlers, this is the area where the Indian team has got it right. If India play to their strengths, they should definitely play the combination of KulCha in all the matches of the West Indies and USA, irrespective of the pitch. Given the performance of Mohammed Siraj in IPL 2024 so far, Team India will be far better off playing Yuzvendra Chahal ahead of Mohammed Siraj.

Siraj’s selection doesn’t seem doubtful as India literally do not have any good pacer other than Jasprit Bumrah. So, be it Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, or any other pacer, it doesn’t matter as none are good enough for the level of even India B team. So, all will depend on how Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah bowl in the tournament. These two are champion bowlers, and their 8 overs will mostly decide where the match ends.

T20 World Cup 2024 Strongest Playing 11 for Team India:

Rohit Sharma (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh & Yuzvendra Chahal

So, that’s about the strongest playing 11 and the official squad for Team India for the T20 World Cup 2024. Overall, India’s squad does look strong on paper, but the moment we compare this squad with England, Australia, or even West Indies, it looks way below par. However, as the format has been, if India are able to give their 100% in the Knockouts, this team can also bring the trophy home. 

Thanks for reading! What’s your take on the T20 World Cup 2024 strongest playing 11 for Team India? Please email your comments to business@cricalytics.com

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